Violent crime down, recruitment success in 2023: Montreal police

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After seeing an increase in gun crime in Montreal in 2022, Fadi Daguerre is proud that the city was able to reduce the number of violent gun crimes by 26 percent in 2023.

Police arrested 351 people and seized 774 weapons in 2023, a slight increase in arrests and seizures compared to the previous year, but Montreal's police chief said it would be false to suggest that the actions of officers alone have caused a drop in violent crime.

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“I don't think it's just a police thing,” Dagher said. “I think the football coach, the community, everyone has a role to play. Of course, our police worked like crazy, but so did society. Social workers, people in the field change every day, we don't talk about those people.”

Dagher said police noted that the number of incidents is now on the decline, but said it was too early to say whether the trend would continue in the coming months and years.

A drop in violent crime was the headline story for police in 2023 as they presented their annual report on Tuesday. More importantly, the recruitment drive finally seems to be paying off as the police reported a net increase in the force for the first time in five years.

A total of 362 police officers were hired during the year, resulting in a net increase of 91 officers and a total of 4,580 personnel. According to the report, about 20 percent of new hires come from diverse communities.

Police say the net increase in officers is due in part to improved working conditions and support from partners, including the Ministries of Public Safety and Higher Education, which worked to build Nicolet-based Ecole's Montreal satellite campus. National Police of Quebec.

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Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the year 2023 would be the “Montreal Model” of public safety, which would include an increased presence of social workers working with the police as part of mixed forces and civil intervention workers as part of EMMIS, which would work with mediation and mediation. cohabitation issues without calling a police officer.

“It was a year that was highlighted by the recruitment of Fadi Daguerre, but mostly great teamwork,” Plante said.

2023 was also marked by an increase in hate crimes and incidents, particularly targeting the Muslim and Jewish communities. In response, police increased visibility around the targeted establishments.

Daguerre said Tuesday that a visibility campaign of about $2 million in additional hours at the end of December still exists, but that the number of hours logged is down.

“The campaign is still going on, but it's not as intense,” Dagher said. “The fear that people experienced at that time was great. We still continue, but we try to do it in the best moments. Therefore, the amount of time may not be the same, but the quality is there.”

Police say the number of hate incidents targeting both communities appears to have returned to levels before the war between Israel and Hamas broke out last October.

According to Dagher, one negative situation in 2023 is the number of road deaths and serious accidents. According to him, the police will strengthen road safety measures in 2024. It was music to Plante's ears.

“The city also has a role to play in securing areas and installing speed breakers, but we need to start sensitization campaigns with the police,” Plante said.

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