MONTREAL – Advocates for the city’s homeless are calling attention to social profiling in Montreal.
RAPSIM is a coalition of 100 community groups that work with the homeless.
Tuesday, it released its fourth report on the relationship between the city’s homeless and the police department.
“Still, we are seeing situations where social profiling exists,” said RAPSIM spokesperson Pierre Gaudreau.
He said it has negative effects on the people who are looking for places to live.
The group said there has been some progress when it comes to social profiling, but more needs to be done to improve the trust between vulnerable people and police officers.
Gaudreau pointed out people living on the street are receiving too many tickets.
“The problematics are always evolving so we have to evolve with the problematics,” said Montreal Police Chief Philippe Pichet.
“We’re trying some different things and, if it works, we are going to enhance what we’re doing. If it is not working the way we want, we will have to provide some more training.”
RAPSIM asked the City of Montreal to make good on a promise to study the issue of social profiling.
Pichet said McGill University will be conducting a study and evaluation on the police’s program.
Public consultations will be held in three years to discuss the results.