The SQ increases its forest research resources

Faced with a dramatic increase in disappearances in the forest in recent years, the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) is significantly increasing its resources dedicated to search and rescue operations, in order to maintain its ability to respond quickly to such situations throughout Québec.

Vincent Larouche
The Press

“Throughout history, we have never had so many people trained and equipped for search and rescue operations,” explains Deputy Director General Patrick Bélanger, Head of Territorial Surveillance, on the sidelines of the study of the budgetary credits to the National Assembly.

The SQ was criticized recently for the way it had conducted research into the file of the sisters Romy and Norah Carpentier, killed by their father after fleeing in the forest almost two years ago. Retired police officers denounced in an interview with Radio-Canada what they describe as a lack of staff and disorganization, pushing the coroner in charge of the case, M^and Sophie Régnière, to request further investigation. The elected officials returned to the subject during the study of the credits. Saint-Apollinaire firefighters have also publicly stated that they offered to help find the girls, but that the police did not want it.

The management of the police force says it has learned lessons from this sad affair, in particular on the importance of alerting the population as quickly as possible when the search is launched. But it vigorously denies having been understaffed. All the necessary resources were in place, replies Patrick Bélanger. The latter says that some criticism was hard to swallow for the police involved in the operation.

“These people worked very hard. All our people deployed there had only one desire, to find people. There is not a human who would have been insensitive to this situation, with two children potentially at risk. Yes, the criticisms have been difficult for our members who have worked so hard,” he said, pointing out that the case of the Carpentier girls concerned a fugitive who was trying to avoid the police and who could have been dangerous, rather than a simple citizen lost in the forest wishing to be found.

Research operations on the rise

Despite everything, the resources dedicated to rescue operations are being increased within the SQ, for the simple reason that the number of operations of this type has been constantly increasing in recent years, observes the director general. deputy. From 180 search operations in 2018, we have increased to 428 in 2021.

Police attribute the rise in part to rising mental health records, which translates to a rise in cases of distressed citizens disappearing into the woods, but also to the popularity of outdoor activities that drive people to to venture further and further in search of thrills.

The number of police trained, equipped and ready to be deployed quickly for rescue operations has increased from 72 to 125 across the territory, and this number could increase further. A special team of eight agents posted in Abitibi, on the North Shore and in Lac-Saint-Jean is also specially responsible for starting searches in the North in the event of a disappearance, while waiting for the bulk of the troops to come up from the South to join them.

Three dog handlers will soon be added to the 16 already in office. The number of ground search coordinators, “super-specialists” according to Mr. Bélanger, has been increased from two to four, so that the police will never be discovered if one of them goes on vacation.

The Deputy Director General remarks that despite the difficulty of the task, there is no lack of volunteers.

“We have passionate people, people who are extremely dedicated to the mission, efficient, rain or shine. There are times when they don’t have it easy, in extremely dense woods, looking for clues. But they are always there,” he says.