Increasingly fearful for their safety, Montrealers are calling 911 more than before. The SPVM received nearly 1.6 million calls to its center in 2023, an increase of approximately 10% compared to the previous year, a jump which reflects the general increase in crime in the metropolis.
This is what reveals the annual report of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) released Monday. With more than 112,630 offenses in 2023, an increase of more than 11% compared to 2022, crime is more of an issue than ever.
Crimes against the person (31,000) and crimes against property (62,400) weigh heavily in the balance, with respective jumps of 13% and 11%. If the 31 homicides mark a decrease of 26%, the 110 attempted murders, the 3,110 robberies and the 17,930 assaults are all up. Assaults alone represent 60% of crime in Montreal.
Overall, the SPVM processed more than 1.6 million calls to its center in 2023, a figure which is up 10% compared to the previous year. Of these, more than 403,000 calls, or about a quarter, required police intervention.
On Monday, a Léger survey carried out for the Brotherhood of Police Officers of Montreal (FPPM) revealed that 65% of Montrealers agree that the metropolis is less safe than five years ago. In the metro alone, this proportion is 59%. Nearly seven in ten residents (67%) also say they do not feel safe in certain areas of the city.
To reinforce the feeling of security, the SPVM plans to launch a mobile counter project in public places by 2026. A “virtual police” platform, offering greater accessibility in a non-emergency context, is also planned.
Overcoming this feeling of insecurity will be “extremely difficult”, agreed the head of the SPVM, Fady Dagher, on Monday, saying he wanted to focus on “transparent communication, connected to the field”. He maintains that in general, “70 to 75% of visits to a neighborhood station” could be settled by telephone.
“We wonder how to make a neighborhood police officer more mobile, so in a park, in front of a seniors’ residence, in the metro, in front of a shopping center. Citizens would have the impression that there are more police officers, even if that is not the case. We would be present differently,” added Mr. Dagher.
Fires, thefts
The report also lists 538 arson attacks, the most notable being undoubtedly that of Old Montreal which left seven dead and nine injured in March 2023 for which no suspect has yet been arrested. This is an increase of 34% compared to 2022.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The SPVM presented its annual report on Monday.
Unsurprisingly, vehicle thefts also continue their sharp increase, with more than 11,750 such crimes having been committed last year, compared to just 9,580 the year before. Dangerous driving of a vehicle, up 140% over one year, is strongly linked to this. Break-ins, simple thefts, fraud and even mischief are also following a growing trend.
As revealed The Press However, as of last February, the increased fight against firearms and armed violence is bearing fruit. The first observation is striking: nine homicides were recorded in 2023, compared to 18 in 2022.
The principle is the same for attempted murders, which went from 44 to 36 in the last year, or even firearm discharges, which fell below 100 in 2023, compared to nearly 130 two years ago. . The number of weapons seized by law enforcement remains stable at almost 1,100 last year.
Still positions to fill
To date, the SPVM still has 432 vacant positions, including 324 among police officers and 108 among civilian staff. This is a considerable improvement compared to 2022. The number of police officers on the streets also continues to increase. While there were 4,282 in 2022, there are currently 4,421. Voluntary retirements are stable, around 62, compared to 72 the year before.
“We hired a total of 312 police officers in 2023 and 50 reservists, i.e. retired police officers. This gives a police toll of 91 additional people in our workforce. For us, it’s a success,” said the deputy director of the SPVM, Vincent Richer.
Meanwhile, the incidence of hate crimes is rising sharply. Last year, more than 350 of them were recorded by the SPVM, an increase of 67% in just one year.
When we look at “hate incidents”, which do not systematically result in an arrest, it is even more impressive: their number increased from 72 to more than 170 in the last year, a jump of almost 138%. Immigration, religion, sexual orientation and even ethnic origin remain the most frequent causes of these crimes.