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Are residents of Park Extension feeling feeling more at ease in the presence of the police who provide them with security services? If the number of people turning out for an Open House hosted by staff from PDQ 33 to showcase the latest in police technology is any indication, the level of comfort is rising steadily among Park Exers.
Technology on display
In addition to staff from the neighbourhood police station on Park Avenue, specialized policemen from various technical units — such as identification, the motorcycle squad, the equestrian division, intervention — all of whom support regular police operations — also took part in the event. Commander André-Guy Lamothe, who heads up PDQ 33, explained the purpose of the event.
“Each year we get a lot of new residents in the area, so this gives them a chance to see all the services that we offer and meet all the new local officers also,” he said. “They can come and meet us and if they have any questions about traffic safety or about any of our services they’re all represented here.”
Security better – Deros
Every year the Open House is helping build a positive relationship between the police and the citizenry, said Park Extension city councillor Mary Deros. “I just met a lady who came over to thank me and thank the police officers for the great work they’ve been doing with security in Park Ex,” she said. “At least since I’ve been here, there’s been gradual progress. People are noticing it and they’re coming around to say thank you.”
The day was an opportunity not just for the police to show off their wares and skills, but also for several other security forces and community organizations. “We’re trying to tell people about railway safety, especially kids,” said Marc Hawkhurst, a constable with the Canadian Pacific railway police. “We try to keep the kids off the tracks because it’s not a place for kids to play. It’s just for trains.”
Railway security
According to Hawkhurst, the CP Police have made a major push lately with their no trespassing on railway property enforcement. “We’ve actually given out nearly 500 tickets this year in this area,” he said. Starting in January, they were handing out warning tickets for trespassing, but were also alerting property owners whose fences were broken along the railway lines.
Many more trespassing signs were also erected near the tracks. “Now we’re trying to enforce that by giving out tickets for trespassing,” said Hawkhurst, noting the fines are $118 for youths under 18 and $144 for adults. “We’ve done what we can by fixing and repairing fences and putting up signs, but we’d like to also get the message out also that trespassing on train tracks is dangerous and illegal.”
Electric scooter useful
The Montreal Police are starting to find more practical use for electric one-person vehicles. Like horses, which have proven useful to the police in areas such Mount Royal Park where paths are inaccessible to motorized traffic, the police are finding the T3 Motion scooter crucial in areas, often downtown or during festivals, when large crowds gather on the streets. The Montreal Police has about a half-dozen in use now, with some deployed at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.