While crime is on the rise in Montreal, the addition of SPVM staff cannot compensate for the departures, shows the annual report of the police force. Despite efforts to boost recruitment, the number of vacancies peaked in 2022, with 529 vacancies.
Although funding of 225 million from the Ministry of Public Security was allocated in August to the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) to compensate for the lack of staff, the year 2022 ended with 207 hirings. , but 242 departures from the police force. Hiring at least 310 new agents is the new objective set for 2023. “Recruitment is one of the main priorities of director Fady Dagher. Our recruitment team is working at full speed,” said Inspector David Shane, spokesperson for the SPVM, during the unveiling of the 2022 activity report.
Several initiatives of this recruiting team have been implemented. The spokesperson said he had expanded recruitment, which targets people with experience or training in the social field. The police force also obtained authorization from the provincial government to increase the number of positions reserved for candidates holding a certificate of college studies, which rose from 30 to 131.
“We also want to improve working conditions and make the SPVM more attractive,” said David Shane. He welcomes the new collective agreement agreement, which offers police officers a salary increase of approximately 19% over five years.
According to the head of public security for the City of Montreal, Alain Vaillancourt, there are encouraging signs. The most recent cohort of the École nationale de police du Québec was entirely intended for the SPVM and its 72 members were all hired by the City of Montreal.
“There was a fear that they would go elsewhere, but they all came here. Montreal is a place where they want to come,” said the manager.
“After two years of strong pressure, Ensemble Montréal is relieved that measures are finally being taken to remedy the glaring lack of staff,” said official opposition spokesperson Abdelhaq Sari in a written statement. These rookies should have been added a long time ago, as they will only be active in the field in 2024 when we need them now. »
The lack of staff is one of the factors that led to an increase in the average response time, according to Inspector Shane. After being around 5 min 48 s between 2018 and 2020, this waiting time fell to 6 min 10 s in 2022.
Number of crimes on the rise
Montreal experienced an increase in the number of crimes in 2022. All offenses increased by 13.6% compared to the average of recent years. The increase in crime, “we expected it”, reacted the mayor of Montreal, Friday, on the sidelines of an announcement. “There is no surprise insofar as, post-COVID, and seeing what is happening in other metropolises elsewhere in the world, we expected that there would be an increase in the crime. »
“That being said, we take it very seriously. And that’s why in the last year, we have taken steps that go in the direction of reducing crime as much as possible, added Valérie Plante. We act to bring it down. We want it to go down. »
In particular, recorded crimes against the person increased by 21.6%. This includes gunfire events, which are still trending upwards, despite a decline from the previous year.
Also included in crimes against the person, recorded sexual assaults increased by 12% compared to the average of the last five years. According to Inspector Davide Shane, however, it is necessary to qualify when reading these statistics. “The increase recorded could reflect an increase in denunciations from victims, following the #metoo movement, prevention work and an improving bond of trust between investigators and victims. »
“Together Montreal has been concerned for two years about the feeling of insecurity that is taking hold in the metropolis,” added official opposition spokesperson Abdelhaq Sari. The data from the 2022 SPVM report show that this feeling is justified with an increase in criminal offenses against persons and property. »
With the collaboration of Philippe Teisceira-Lessard, The Press