Montreal’s police chief, Fady Dagher, presented the department’s strategic plan for the next three years before Montreal’s public security commission on Wednesday.
The 25-page document focuses on winning the confidence of Montrealers by working more closely with Indigenous community members and fighting to end racism and discrimination within the police department.
The plan also includes officers getting tough on crime to help improve the safety and security of Montrealers.
Homicides and attempted murders dropped in 2023 compared to the year prior but double-digit percentage increases were recorded in other violent crimes including assault, arson, robberies and car thefts.
Crimes related to hate also spiked by almost 66 per cent last year over 2022, most of them related to criminal acts involving religion.
“They’re still investigating, they’re still working on improving their method. More arrests will be coming hopefully soon,” Peter McQueen, one of the public security commission members, told Global News.
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McQueen supports the new strategic plan that was presented and says it’s important for officers to work with diverse communities but get tough on crime when it’s needed.
“Believe me, they’re working on right now how to improve safety,” he said.
There are also plans to get more illegal firearms off the streets and to put mobile police units on the roads to make officers more accessible to the public in non-emergencies.