Citizens Demand Decrease of Police Budget and Sensitivity Training for Officers

Six months following the historic $45 million boost to the Montreal police force's (SPVM) budget, Montrealers are still demanding for the budget to be decreased. Montrealers would like to also see officers receive sensitivity training.

The city said they determined that the SPVM, the municipal administration and the finance department are what are Montreal needs – so the city's budget has been reworked to provide more funding to these services. 

The city also said that Montreal is at the heart of an increase in gun violence and that the SPVM was in need of immediate additional resources and that the city had to respond. One concerned citizen mentioned that Montreal is suffering from lack of affordable housing and mental health services, adding that resources are needed in more social service areas rather than policing. The city responded by stating that it is true that efforts must be doubled in terms of prevention, but that this was done by adding $20 million towards community groups and that the city intends to continue this momentum. 

During question period, a member of the public said that the use of irritant chemicals nearly tripled between 2020 and 2021, adding that there were 56 uses made in 2020, and 191 in 2021, which are often used during protests. They asked the city why the SPVM used irritant gas more in 2021 compared to 2020.

The city responded saying that it depends on the circumstances and that irritant chemicals can be used in different situations, but that there are rules for irritant gases. The city said that when police use irritant chemicals, it is because there is an escalation of order. They said the context of the intervention is important. 

In the second year of COVID, t911 responded to more than 15 thousand calls relating to COVID-19 measures. 3 thousand of these calls were reporting sanitary measures not being followed. More than 400 thousand of these emergencies calls were answered by police, with the rest being responded to by firefighters and the health division.