The City of Brossard, on Montreal's South Shore, may finally be getting its own police station.
The agglomeration council is expected to ratify a mandate Thursday to study "scenarios" for the precinct.
"This is a major step forward," said Brossard Mayor Doreen Assaad. "It is the result of many years of effort. The creation of a police station will bring forth the image of a police force that is more present, more visible and more involved in its community."
Local residents have been asking for a police station on their territory for years, including during consultations conducted by Longueuil police (SPAL) in 2019.
"The upcoming opening of three REM stations, the fact that the City of Brossard is in full expansion and the fact that we will soon pass the 100,000 population mark are all factors in favour of having a police station on our territory," said Assaad. "In fact, all Quebec cities with a population of over 50,000 have a police station."
Debate surrounding whether Brossard merits its own police station has been ongoing for the last 20 years.
"In the event that a station would be created in Brossard, we will have to ask ourselves the following questions: where is the best place to put it and what form should it take?" asked Fady Dagher, Longueuil police chief. "More than a simple building made of concrete or bricks, the Brossard police station will have to allow for better coordination of our teams on the field to offer more efficient services."
If the project is approved by the agglomeration council, it will be up to Longueuil police to present various proposals to the members of the public security commission.
Officials say the police station could then "materialize in the coming years."
