MONTREAL – As many as 2,500 police officers- more than half of the city’s police force – were slowly and noisily making their way down St. Denis St. Wednesday morning to protest what they perceive as the underfinancing of public security on the island of Montreal. The march began at police union headquarters on Guilford st. in the Plateau Mont Royal and is expected to end in front of city hall on Notre Dame st, in Old Montreal. Traffic on either side of St. Denis St. was brought to a halt by 10:30 a.m.
The union has said Montreal Island residents are suffering as a result of delayed investigations caused by a lack of officers in the stations and special units. The department has said it is reorganizing existing resources to deal with the backlog. The Montreal agglomeration sets the police budget, which is largely determined by the city of Montreal’s budget. The city is preparing its budget this fall, and the police union will soon enter talks with the city as the officers’ labour contract expires Dec. 31.
More to come.
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