The Longueuil, Que., police service has launched a new service they describe as part of a new philosophy of law enforcement.
Its called ‘social policing’ or Réseau d’Entraide Sociale et Organisationnelle (RÉSO), where a team of officers focus on making personal connections with residents in an assigned area. The aim is to break down barriers between police and the community.
One of the police officers helping to blaze this trail in law enforcement is 18-year police veteran Const. Patrick Cormier.
“We are a social and organizational support network,” he told Global News during his first patrol on Churchill Boulevard in Greenfield Park, south of Montreal.
The team, consisting of two supervisors and seventeen officers will fan out across the five cities of the Longueuil agglomeration. Their mandate – to socialize and connect with business owners, vulnerable individuals and families to solve non-emergency problems.
“So if there’s an issue, instead of calling 9-1-1 you go see your police officer who’s visible, who’s accessible, who’s available, and you sort of confide your problems to him,” he explained.
For emergencies people still need to call 9-1-1.
Photos of all team members are on the police service website showing each constable’s cell phone number and assigned sector.
Cormier’s beat is Old Greenfield Park where he will patrol alone, on foot.
“It’s massive actually,” he laughed. “It’s pretty big to walk alone. It’ll be doable on foot but during warmer weather, it’ll be on bike actually.”
The team will also have social workers employed by the police department to help with certain calls Cormier’s group isn’t equipped to deal with.
“Some people don’t don’t necessarily appreciate the uniform,” Cormier pointed out.
To prepare for this role Cormier’s team spent five weeks with community organizations learning the challenges of social issues, like mental illness or domestic violence.
This $3.6-million project, announced in June, is a first in the province. It’s one initiative in the Quebec government’s push to change policing, following calls to defund police after several incidents of violent interactions between officers and civilians.
Joey Vine, an antique shop owner on Churchill Boulevard, said he’s been pushing for a program like this for years.
“I think this is the best thing that’s come around for a decade,” he stated. “I’m very pleased. This is going to be great for our neighbourhood. Absolutely!”
A few doors away, depanneur owner Nick Chopov, who had his store broken into recently, agrees.
“We’ll have more personal touch with the police,” he said, adding they’ll be able to get help without calling 9-1-1, “if it’s not an emergency.”
While the police department plans to expand the service eventually, it stresses the service doesn’t replace regular policing – RÉSO is an additional tool.