10 Officers Have Resigned From The Montreal Police Force Due To Staff Shortages

The news comes as Quebec announced a $250 million investment to hire 450 SPVM officers over the next five years to reduce gun violence in the city. Former Montreal police inspector André Durocher says the SPVM faces two problems at once: retention and recruitment. “Right now, unfortunately, what we hear about Montreal is a lot of shootings, no support from the municipal administration, poor working conditions compared to other recruits, traffic jams, no parking. [for officers] — and the list goes on and on,” he said. All police personnel who resign will be asked to explain why they left, Montreal’s interim police chief, Sophie Roy, said at a news conference Saturday. According to the Montreal Brotherhood of Police, common reasons for quitting include feeling “superior pressure” from being videotaped and judged on social media and simply not being paid enough. The average police officer makes $80,886 a year in Montreal, compared with $86,053 in Ottawa and $86,555 in Toronto, the Economic Research Institute reports. “It is obvious that the working conditions must be adapted to the complexity, the intensity and the general situation in Montreal,” said Martin Desrochers, a spokesman for the Brotherhood. The SPVM declined to comment on the matter. And while gun violence has doubled in the past two years in Montreal (with more than 225 shootings in 2021-22 compared to 112 in 2019-20), Durocher said violent crime isn’t to blame for the understaffing. “Most police officers, when they are young, are drawn to the action,” he added. “I’ve never heard a police officer tell me that was an obstruction.”

THE GOVERNMENT SOLUTION

Quebec’s national police academy will step up its efforts and train an additional 72 aspiring officers each year to later put them in the Montreal police force. Public Safety Minister Geneviève Guilbault said police should also feel the support of the province for a new generation of officers to join the units. “Police officers are essential to maintaining a sense of security here in Montreal and throughout the province of Quebec, so thank you very much for your work,” he said at Saturday’s news conference. Montreal also hopes to hire more social intervention workers in the ÉMMIS unit to prevent crime and help those with mental illness. And while police recruitment could be an uphill battle for the province, Mayor Valérie Plante told Montrealers the city will not become a “playground for criminals.”

title: “10 Officers Have Resigned From The Montreal Police Force Due To Staff Shortages Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-05” author: “Ray Escobedo”

The news comes as Quebec announced a $250 million investment to hire 450 SPVM officers over the next five years to reduce gun violence in the city. Former Montreal police inspector André Durocher says the SPVM faces two problems at once: retention and recruitment. “Right now, unfortunately, what we hear about Montreal is a lot of shootings, no support from the municipal administration, poor working conditions compared to other recruits, traffic jams, no parking. [for officers] — and the list goes on and on,” he said. All police personnel who resign will be asked to explain why they left, Montreal’s interim police chief, Sophie Roy, said at a news conference Saturday. According to the Montreal Brotherhood of Police, common reasons for quitting include feeling “superior pressure” from being videotaped and judged on social media and simply not being paid enough. The average police officer makes $80,886 a year in Montreal, compared with $86,053 in Ottawa and $86,555 in Toronto, the Economic Research Institute reports. “It is obvious that the working conditions must be adapted to the complexity, the intensity and the general situation in Montreal,” said Martin Desrochers, a spokesman for the Brotherhood. The SPVM declined to comment on the matter. And while gun violence has doubled in the past two years in Montreal (with more than 225 shootings in 2021-22 compared to 112 in 2019-20), Durocher said violent crime isn’t to blame for the understaffing. “Most police officers, when they are young, are drawn to the action,” he added. “I’ve never heard a police officer tell me that was an obstruction.”

THE GOVERNMENT SOLUTION

Quebec’s national police academy will step up its efforts and train an additional 72 aspiring officers each year to later put them in the Montreal police force. Public Safety Minister Geneviève Guilbault said police should also feel the support of the province for a new generation of officers to join the units. “Police officers are essential to maintaining a sense of security here in Montreal and throughout the province of Quebec, so thank you very much for your work,” he said at Saturday’s news conference. Montreal also hopes to hire more social intervention workers in the ÉMMIS unit to prevent crime and help those with mental illness. And while police recruitment could be an uphill battle for the province, Mayor Valérie Plante told Montrealers the city will not become a “playground for criminals.”

title: “10 Officers Have Resigned From The Montreal Police Force Due To Staff Shortages Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-09” author: “Mary Brown”

The news comes as Quebec announced a $250 million investment to hire 450 SPVM officers over the next five years to reduce gun violence in the city. Former Montreal police inspector André Durocher says the SPVM faces two problems at once: retention and recruitment. “Right now, unfortunately, what we hear about Montreal is a lot of shootings, no support from the municipal administration, poor working conditions compared to other recruits, traffic jams, no parking. [for officers] — and the list goes on and on,” he said. All police personnel who resign will be asked to explain why they left, Montreal’s interim police chief, Sophie Roy, said at a news conference Saturday. According to the Montreal Brotherhood of Police, common reasons for quitting include feeling “superior pressure” from being videotaped and judged on social media and simply not being paid enough. The average police officer makes $80,886 a year in Montreal, compared with $86,053 in Ottawa and $86,555 in Toronto, the Economic Research Institute reports. “It is obvious that the working conditions must be adapted to the complexity, the intensity and the general situation in Montreal,” said Martin Desrochers, a spokesman for the Brotherhood. The SPVM declined to comment on the matter. And while gun violence has doubled in the past two years in Montreal (with more than 225 shootings in 2021-22 compared to 112 in 2019-20), Durocher said violent crime isn’t to blame for the understaffing. “Most police officers, when they are young, are drawn to the action,” he added. “I’ve never heard a police officer tell me that was an obstruction.”

THE GOVERNMENT SOLUTION

Quebec’s national police academy will step up its efforts and train an additional 72 aspiring officers each year to later put them in the Montreal police force. Public Safety Minister Geneviève Guilbault said police should also feel the support of the province for a new generation of officers to join the units. “Police officers are essential to maintaining a sense of security here in Montreal and throughout the province of Quebec, so thank you very much for your work,” he said at Saturday’s news conference. Montreal also hopes to hire more social intervention workers in the ÉMMIS unit to prevent crime and help those with mental illness. And while police recruitment could be an uphill battle for the province, Mayor Valérie Plante told Montrealers the city will not become a “playground for criminals.”

title: “10 Officers Have Resigned From The Montreal Police Force Due To Staff Shortages Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-17” author: “Evette Scott”

The news comes as Quebec announced a $250 million investment to hire 450 SPVM officers over the next five years to reduce gun violence in the city. Former Montreal police inspector André Durocher says the SPVM faces two problems at once: retention and recruitment. “Right now, unfortunately, what we hear about Montreal is a lot of shootings, no support from the municipal administration, poor working conditions compared to other recruits, traffic jams, no parking. [for officers] — and the list goes on and on,” he said. All police personnel who resign will be asked to explain why they left, Montreal’s interim police chief, Sophie Roy, said at a news conference Saturday. According to the Montreal Brotherhood of Police, common reasons for quitting include feeling “superior pressure” from being videotaped and judged on social media and simply not being paid enough. The average police officer makes $80,886 a year in Montreal, compared with $86,053 in Ottawa and $86,555 in Toronto, the Economic Research Institute reports. “It is obvious that the working conditions must be adapted to the complexity, the intensity and the general situation in Montreal,” said Martin Desrochers, a spokesman for the Brotherhood. The SPVM declined to comment on the matter. And while gun violence has doubled in the past two years in Montreal (with more than 225 shootings in 2021-22 compared to 112 in 2019-20), Durocher said violent crime isn’t to blame for the understaffing. “Most police officers, when they are young, are drawn to the action,” he added. “I’ve never heard a police officer tell me that was an obstruction.”

THE GOVERNMENT SOLUTION

Quebec’s national police academy will step up its efforts and train an additional 72 aspiring officers each year to later put them in the Montreal police force. Public Safety Minister Geneviève Guilbault said police should also feel the support of the province for a new generation of officers to join the units. “Police officers are essential to maintaining a sense of security here in Montreal and throughout the province of Quebec, so thank you very much for your work,” he said at Saturday’s news conference. Montreal also hopes to hire more social intervention workers in the ÉMMIS unit to prevent crime and help those with mental illness. And while police recruitment could be an uphill battle for the province, Mayor Valérie Plante told Montrealers the city will not become a “playground for criminals.”