MONTREAL -- The mayor of Dollard-des-Ormeaux has a simple request for residents who see people not abiding by social distancing rules: call the cops.
“If it's just some people walking through the park, that's perfectly fine with us. But if people are congregating and they're having fun and they're having a party, well, that's a little bit of a different story,” said Alex Bottausci. “We're asking people to please move along and obey the laws.”
Bottausci took to social media to ask residents who live near DDO's public parks to keep an eye out and to call public security if they see groups of people congregating.
“It's not the majority,” he said. “The majority are following the rule of law, which is wonderful. It's the few that decide they're above the law and don't realize they're actually risking and putting at risk the rest of the community. This, I will not tolerate.”
The mayor said several residents have already filed reports. Montreal police, who have said they will hand out fines of up to $1,000 or even arrest people who don't comply with social distancing rules laid out by the provincial government, said reports are coming in, though no fines have been issued.
Psychologist Genevieve Beaulieu-Pelletier said there's a reason people are calling police.
“In a threatening situation, we tend to control what we can,” she said. “We're in a state of powerlessness. By calling the police, I'm trying to control what I can, it's a way to reassure myself.”
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