Had the officers of the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) lacked judgment? Many people ask themselves this question after a ticket has been issued.
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On May 2, a citizen struggling with the flooding was served with a criminal complaint because his recreational vehicle was parked “more than 30 cm from the nearest edge of the road,” the wording said.
The incident happened in the Pierrefonds-Roxboro neighborhood of Montreal.
However, the street where the citizen lives was flooded at the time of the report. He therefore wanted to take his vehicle to the neighboring street where there was no water.
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
But that freedom earned him a $64 fine.
The Mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro County regrets the incident.
“In my opinion it wasn’t. I was there, I even took a picture. I contacted the local commander and left him the file to find a solution. Now is not the time to apply the law to the letter. Now is the time to give residents the support they need and be flexible,” he said.
(2/2) The Mayor of the Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, @BeisJimin contact with the @SPVM. He points out that the police are doing an excellent job, but asks for a little indulgence. @tvanews
— Andy St-André (@andystandreTVA) May 5, 2023
The SPVM responded, notably stating that it had taken steps to raise awareness among its patrols.
“Police officers patrolling the Pierrefonds-Roxboro sector have been made aware of the situation of the population following the floods and have been asked to show flexibility,” he said.
“We recognize the difficulties faced by citizens of the sector and invite them to contact their local police department if they are unhappy with an interaction with one of our officers. We invite the citizen who feels offended to contest their ticket,” he added.