Federal government announces $5M to combat youth crime in Longueuil

The federal government is investing nearly $5 million into a new program to prevent youth crime in Longueuil.

For years, Longueuil police officers and community organizations have been looking for ways to fight youth crime.

"We talk about work that we're doing to strengthen laws against crimes and guns. We talk about the work we're doing to invest in our borders. But we don't talk enough about prevention," said federal public safety minister Marco Mendicino Wednesday at Longueuil City Hall.

They're hoping to do that through a new program called "Groupe Contact." The goal is to help 300 at-risk youth between 12 and 17 who have either committed a crime or are showing violent tendencies over the next five years. The project is part of the Government of Canada's Crime Prevention Action Fund (CPAF), and will include workshops about gang risk awareness, counselling, employment training, and personal life management.

"With all the teams, with the concentration of community organisms, we're going to work with the young," said Longueuil Police Director Patrick Belanger "It's a voluntary program with them to reintroduce them in a good way."

The police plan to work with 26 high schools in Longueuil, youth protection services, youth centers, and family members.

He said having partners in the classroom and at home will help police identify those who need the most help.

Since it's a voluntary program, keeping the teens involved may be a challenge, but Longueuil police are confident with their partners' expertise that they'll be able to do that.

"These people are specially trained," Belanger said.

That would include social workers like Vanessa Valdelomar, who helps teens get back on track.

"They're involved in many difficulties but they don't know necessarily how to get out. It's going to be interesting to work in that way," Valdelomar.

Even though Longueuil police noticed a decrease in youth crime since 2015, they are concerned with social media, saying that more teens are posting violent content.

That is why, she said, programs like Groupe Contact are so important. There will be extracurricular activities, educational support, and career opportunities all in the hopes of steering the youth back in the right direction.