The Sûreté du Québec is promising more training for police officers driving unmarked cars after two fatal crashes in the past two years.
In February 2014, five-year-old Nicolas Thorne-Belance was killed in Longueuil after a high-speed chase involving an unmarked SQ car ended in a violent collision. In June 2015, the officer driving was charged with dangerous driving causing death.
In July 2015, three seniors were killed when an unmarked SQ car rammed into another vehicle in Dolbeau-Mistassini, about 130 kilometers northwest of Saguenary.
SQ spokesperson Lt. Jason Allard said new measures for unmarked cars were put in place last year, including officers only being allowed to speed if they are close to a scene where people’s lives may be in danger, only using the cars for traffic infractions and needing to obtain permission to use the cars.
“The first conclusion was to keep the restrictions that were put in place last summer,” Allard said. “Also to give further training to the officers that were assigned these vehicles. That means, every police officer will receive training that will give them information on the risks involved in using these types of vehicles. Also, all the recruits coming in or the people who will be following driver training programs will receive special training on these types of vehicles and the characteristics that are different from a normal, marked vehicle.”
According to the SQ, on average cruisers are not involved in accidents as often as other police forces and unmarked cruisers have an even better safety record.
