Montreal launches private security patrols in high-crime areas

Montreal's central Ville-Marie district will deploy private security guards as part of a pilot project to combat a rise in drug and other criminal activity in some neighborhoods.

These guards will patrol three high-crime neighborhoods to monitor activities such as drug dealing, drug use, incivility and harassment. But rather than intervene directly, they will share their observations with police and the city's social intervention teams.

This comes as traders, residents and visitors continue to raise safety concerns in sectors such as the Village and Chinatown.

The $120,000 pilot project will station Sirco private security guards in these areas as well as in Old Montreal. The agents will work in both uniform and plain clothes.

“The Ville-Marie district is under a lot of pressure – there is a significant presence of criminal activity here – and it is important that we add another tool,” said Ville-Marie councilor Robert Beaudry.

Crime levels have increased since the pandemic, he said, and the city needs to take action. Police have done what they can and there have been some improvements, but more tools are needed, he added.

While Montreal's Chinatown can be a lively spot for shoppers and tourists, in recent years it has attracted increasing amounts of illegal activity, according to residents. (Aloysius Wong/CBC)

Complaints in these neighborhoods have made headlines in recent years. Last year, a group of business owners and longtime Chinatown residents said they wanted the city and police to work with the community to develop a crime prevention plan after the neighborhood saw a spike in violence and vandalism.

Also last year, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante announced a plan to revitalize the village, which included deploying 40 police officers to the area and expanding the hours of mobile social workers to respond to the neighborhood's vulnerable population around the clock can look after.

This announcement came after several business owners along Ste-Catherine Street decided to close their patios for safety reasons.

People are already watching and reporting, says residents

People who live and work in the village say there has been an influx of people on the streets since the pandemic, often with addictions and mental illnesses.

However, according to Phil Chu, president of the Chinatown Residents' Association, residents are already monitoring and reporting crimes.

“Not a single day goes by that I don’t witness a drug transaction or someone smoking crack,” he said. “It’s normal now, unfortunately.”

He said they would accept any help they could get, “but it seems a bit unnecessary.”

Guards will also be on the lookout for homeless encampments to connect the homeless with available city resources.

James Hughes, president of the Old Brewery Mission, supports the project as a potential safety improvement, but emphasizes that it should not target the homeless population.

“Even if there are legal violations such as loitering or living in public spaces, these should not be treated as criminal activities,” he said.

The project will run until mid-December, after which the district will evaluate its effectiveness.

There are already security guards in the suburbs of Montreal

Some Montreal suburbs already have their own security forces and rely on security force patrols Montreal City Police Service (SPVM).

For example, Westmount's public safety department enforces municipal bylaws, provides support services to the Montreal Fire Department, and patrols the community 24 hours a day.

All Westmount officers are trained in advanced first aid, CPR and the use of a defibrillator.

According to Westmount's website, they are also equipped with an extendable police baton and trained to use pressure point tactics.

Hampstead, the town of Mount Royal and Côte Saint-Luc have similar departments. Côte Saint-Luc has also had a program called Volunteer Citizens on Patrol (vCOP) since 2006. Volunteers patrol the city to observe and report suspicious activity or problems.