EMIE

The EMIE project is one of the commitments made by the SPVM at the Forum montréalais pour la lutte contre la violence armée : s’unir pour la jeunesse held in winter 2022.

The current digital age considerably contributes to promoting the use of gun violence and thus crystallizes a culture of trivializing gun violence among young people. The benefits to be brought by this team will be to ensure better collaboration among the various actors within the education community and to work towards greater convergence and coherence in targeted interventions in relation to violence committed and suffered by young people.

Moreover, as explained at the Forum montréalais pour la lutte contre la violence armée in winter 2022, various online platforms now provide young people with additional ways of becoming marginalized and may become vehicles for spreading criminal values to new generations. This is why the SPVM is innovating by including a civilian researcher specialized in social networks who supports the various players working in the field of prevention, while tackling the issue of online dynamics.

In conclusion, the team also consolidates the strategic partnerships between the SPVM, schools, institutional and community players, and the judicial system, while maintaining and developing their trust with young people.

Ultimately, the SPVM wants to work with young people to provide support tailored to their needs, enable them to envision an alternative to violence and accordingly achieve long-term success in tackling this issue.

On June 9, 2022, the SPVM was awarded $4.05 million in financial assistance by the Ministère de la Sécurité publique du Québec to create a multidisciplinary intervention project in schools. The implementation of this project will help to reduce and prevent violence by young people. The City of Montréal has granted $400,000 for this project.

The Division de la prévention et de la sécurité urbaine at the SPVM is responsible for governance of the team, which facilitates conveying orientations on gun violence to the field and to management.

In concrete terms, the Équipe multidisciplinaire d’intervention dans les écoles will take preventative action based on reports and dynamics of gun violence observed in each neighbourhood. The main goal is to deploy rapid support by adding to the pre-existing service provided by community relations officers at neighbourhood police stations by being proactive with regard to emerging situations of violence. When needed, the EMIE guides police operations and informs different communities about new trends and challenges concerning violence committed and suffered by young people.

The team provides support to the neighbourhood police stations concerned and helps stakeholders by sharing best practices and also by participating directly and swiftly in interventions in the field. It also develops complementary tools and intervention programs to enhance the existing service offer.

Territories served by the EMIE

The EMIE plays a more specific role in neighbourhoods affected by the issue of gun violence. It takes action where the needs are felt and works in close collaboration with community relations officers, who are present at each neighbourhood police station on the island of Montréal and who already have ties with the schools in their sector. Community development consultants already working at some neighbourhood police stations are also excellent resources to support this new EMIE. It should be noted that the members of the EMIE are not based in the identified schools.

The EMIE is made up of civilian and police resources.

A commander dedicated to fighting gun violence is responsible for coordinating the team, giving strategic orientations and acting as institutional representative for youth cases.

CIVILIAN PERSONNEL

> 3 community development consultants (criminology profile)

They are professionals with specific expertise in social issues, which is complementary to the expertise held by other members of police personnel.

They will take action where the needs are felt. They will work in close collaboration with community relations officers and prevention officers present at all neighbourhood police stations (PDQ).

> 1 research officer (social networks profile)

The research officer identifies trends in social media and supports various internal and external partners regarding its impact on situations of violence. The research officer analyzes new platforms and emerging phenomena, advises and proposes innovative strategies according to needs and participates in the development of prevention tools related to their field of expertise, while collaborating with team members and members of the school community.

> 1 designer and developer (training program)

The person helps the EMIE and the Division de la prévention et de la sécurité urbaine (DPSU) at the SPVM to design prevention tools for young people and intended for use in schools.

> 1 strategic advisor

By using management and progress reports, this person advises management on the development, monitoring and evaluation of the team’s intervention framework and results. The strategic advisor also helps to develop the Action Plan by having a cross-sectional view of the issues facing the SPVM. Lastly, they coordinate monitoring of the projects by ensuring the collaboration of internal and external actors, and collaborate in the preparation of the EMIE accountability reports.

POLICE PERSONNEL:

> 1 lieutenant-detective, head of the team

Their knowledge of investigations, judicial process (including the Youth Criminal Justice Act) and extrajudicial measures contributes to consolidating this team’s wide-ranging expertise.

> 3 liaison officers

They are specialized prevention officers who take action where the needs are felt.

They work together with the three community development consultants and also in close collaboration with the community relations officers at the neighbourhood police stations.

La Ville de Montréal et le SPVM annoncent le déploiement d’une Équipe multidisciplinaire dans les écoles de la métropole, 15th september 2022

CENTAURE: Stratégie québécoise de lutte contre la violence armée - Over $4 million for a multidisciplinary intervention project in schools , June 9, 2022

SPVM’s commitments in the scope of the Forum pour la lutte contre la violence armée