Montreal's Metro constables want to carry guns, but STM says there's no such plan

The union representing special constables in Montreal’s Metro wants its members to carry guns and stun guns after a rise in violent incidents, but the STM said it isn’t considering it.

The president of the Fraternité des constables et agents de la paix de la STM (FCAP), Kevin Grenier, said that violence in the city and its transit system has "exploded" in recent years.

"Security in the Metro, it’s known, is at the lowest it’s been in years and that’s felt by our members, too," said Grenier.

Retired Sûreté du Québec (SQ) officer Mario Benriqué was hired by FCAP to evaluate the situation in Metros after constables said they felt under pressure.

In his seven-page report, Benriqué recommended the FCAP equip special constables with more weapons. He said it was a "logical extension of the use of force, defense, security, protection and control in this work."

"The work done by special constables is coercive and requires contemporary means, equipment and methods to deal with the risks they encounter," he wrote in the report.

But Laurence Houde-Roy, a spokesperson for the Société de transport de Montréal told CTV News that "there are no plans to arm special constables."

"We are aware that the difficult social context makes the work of special constables more complex. However, we favour a de-escalation approach to more complex interventions involving aggressive individuals," said Houde-Roy.

She pointed out that, as of the beginning of the year, special constables have been able to use pepper spray -- a recourse that was used seven times since, on top of batons. When it comes to dealing with an armed person, constables must call on the SPVM.

Grenier said de-escalation will always be favoured, but that the situation in Metros is becoming more complicated and constables don’t always feel safe. He said it’s important to take steps to reestablish a sense of safety in the public and the constables themselves.

'Controversial' report

Grenier pointed to a homicide at the Guy-Concordia Metro Station earlier this month, and said that in that same week, three incidents took place involving armed people and some constables were injured. In one case, constables thought an individual had a gun and only realized it was an airgun at the end of their intervention.

Special constables have increasingly been dealing with intoxicated people or people experiencing severe mental illness, said Grenier.

He said it’s been "a long time" that constables have been wanting to be equipped with stun guns and guns. Constables, previously known as inspectors, got their new status -- which allows them to arrest people, among other powers -- in 2021.

Though he said he understands why some members of the public might feel apprehensive at the thought of more guns in the Metro, constables are trained like police but without weapons.

"We understand that Benriqué’s conclusions might be controversial, but we really wanted a full picture of what’s safest for us in how we do interventions and users, and also the people with who we intervene," said Grenier.

"We’re facing a lot of unpredictable, violent and armed behaviour … It would all be done within a very specific framework."

Ted Rutland, an associate professor of geography at Concordia University who studied public security, said it was worrying that the first solution proposed is to have more weapons. He said public funds would be better spent on outreach workers or more training in nonviolent de-escalation tactics.

"It's very contradictory to talk about mental distress and disorganization and then talk about weaponry, because the very fact of having weapons escalates the situation," he said.

"If special constables are feeling insecure … what they need is better de-escalation training … then they'll be doing what security guards, community workers, street outreach workers are doing every day."

Grenier said the union is looking over the recommendations while awaiting the full report before consulting its members and the STM.