As overtime costs rise to $1.7M, Montreal police chief says patrols in Jewish, Muslim communities will continue
With the number of hate-motivated incidents rising in Montreal, the chief of police says protection for Jewish and Muslim communities will continue to make them feel safe from violence.
In an interview with CTV News on Tuesday, Chief Fady Dagher confirmed that the police service has spent more than $1.7 million in overtime costs since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7.
Asked if he's willing to continue increased patrols in targeted neighbourhoods, Dagher said, "Yes, we are. No matter the cost."
"I told … the budget committee that there is no way I will let them down, let any community down. I'm here to protect and serve them and that's what we're going to do," he said.
"In six weeks, it cost us $1.7 million as you mentioned, over 60 demonstrations that we covered, and we even have 7,100 cops that were patrolling around all those areas 24/7 and we're not going to stop."
Earlier this month, the city approved the 2024 budget that included $821 million for the Montreal police force (SPVM), an increase of $35 million from the previous year. Part of the funding will go toward hiring 225 police officers.
The latest statistics from Montreal police show that there have been 142 hate-motivated incidents and hate crimes since the war started last month. Of those, 107 targeted Jewish communities and 35 targeted Muslim communities, according to the data.
In one of the latests incidents, police were called Monday morning after an incendiary object was allegedly thrown against the door of a Jewish community centre.
'THAT'S REALLY CONCERNING ME'
Dagher said he has never seen the level of stress there is right now in both communities, pointing to examples of families deciding to not send their kids to school or dressing in a different way to hide their Jewish or Muslim identities.
"That's really concerning me," he said, adding that he said he believes the emotions are still too raw and fresh to begin a dialogue for peace.
"This is why I'm trying to find a way with both communities to try to bring them -- eventually when it's possible -- to talk about peace outside and to the whole community."
Montreal police told CTV News last week that many of the hate crimes reported are still being actively investigated and they could not provide an exact number of arrests made, if any, in each case. Dagher said Tuesday the investigations are "complex."
"For now, we don't have the results that people are expecting and I understand them," he said.
"They want some consequences for what's happening and I'm hoping to be able to give them some results, eventually."
Watch the video above for the full interview with Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cell phone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
Evacuees concerned over conflicting information on Fort Nelson wildfire
Evacuees staying in Fort St. John have expressed concern about how little they are hearing about what is happening in their now deserted city.
Insurance claims skyrocket and tensions remain high after slew of natural disasters
According to new data released by Statistics Canada, the cost of catastrophic insurance claims in Canada between 1983 and 2008 was $400 million each year.
DEVELOPING Slovakia's populist prime minister shot in assassination attempt, shocking Europe before elections
Slovakia's populist prime minister, Robert Fico, was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday after a political event in an attempted assassination that shocked the small country and reverberated across Europe.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Why the speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker was embraced at Benedictine College's commencement
Kansas City Chiefs' Harrison Butker may have stirred controversy in some quarters for his proclamations of conservative politics on Saturday, but he received a standing ovation from graduates at the Benedictine College commencement ceremony.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
U.S. intelligence officials wanted to meet with Transport Canada's UFO 'lead'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.