This week I attended the launch of the “Peaceful environment” initiative being rolled out across the island by the Montreal Police Department at Neighbourhood Station (Poste de quartier or PDQ) 9. West Division Assistant Commander Pierre Brochet and PDQ9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette praised the partnership with Cote Saint-Luc Public Security (PS) officers and members of the volunteer Citizens on Patrol (vCOP) as well as the crews from Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
As part of the initiative several traffic officers fanned out across Cote Saint-Luc, Hampstead and Montreal-West to enforce cell phone ban on drivers, school zone parking, pedestrian and speed limit restrictions. At the end of the day some 126 tickets were issued in the immediate area sensitizing drivers that road safety is serious business and failure to comply will hit you in the pocket.
Commander Bissonnette pointed out that a recent missing child alert in Cote Saint-Luc resulted in an immediate response by PS, vCOP and EMS. “Within minutes of notification we had three PS units and 10 volunteers from vCOP on the road assisting in the search,” the commander said. This rapid response of local resources, along with advance planning in urban search techniques led to a safe conclusion in locating the missing nine year old within 90 minutes. In all, three missing person search operations were initiated in the last month, involving PS and vCOP.
CSL Public Security Chief Michel Martel, Montreal Police Assistant Commander West Division Pierre Brochet, Councillor Glenn J. Nashen, Neighbourhood Police Station 9 Commander Sylvain Bissonnette
I suggested to Assistant Commander Brochet, as well as to Marc Touchette, Verdun Borough Councillor and member of the Montreal Agglomeration Public Security Commission that the vCOP model that I initiated three years ago is a model that can be replicated in municipalities throughout the region and across the province.
Also attending was Montreal West Mayor Campbell Stewart and Public Safety Commissioner Benny Masala with PS Chief Patrick Mann, Hampstead PS Lieutenant Mike Fitzgerald and CSL PS Chief Michel Martel.
Community leaders and public security officials meet with police brass at station 9 this week
