City, police union battle quota system before Labour Relations Board

The City of Montreal and its police officers union begin another round in front of the Quebec Labour Relations Board today.

The City said police are still not issuing as many tickets as they were before proposed pension reform legislation created tension between municipal workers and the City administration.

It's asking the police union to make up for the lost income by paying $12.8 million.

In September, the Labour Relations Board ordered police officers to issue tickets in a way that was “normal and usual” after a hearing with the union and the city.

• City asks police brotherhood for $12.8M for issuing fewer tickets

• Montreal trying to recoup money it says was lost by lax policing

Not a quota system

Montreal Police Chief Marc Parent has denied that his officers are governed by a quota system, although he has confirmed there is a target number of tickets they are encouraged to meet per shift.

But the head of the Montreal Police Brotherhood, Yves Francoeur, said officers are dealing with a quota system, plain and simple.

He told CBC's Daybreak that setting quotas for fining Montrealers is wrong.

Francoeur said Quebec should outlaw the system the way more than 20 U.S. states have done.

He said concentrating on giving out tickets takes away from an officer’s duty protect citizens and prevent crime.

“We also know where there’s a lot of accidents, where it’s dangerous for pedestrians and street users, and for us the target has to be there even if we’re going to give only three, four or five tickets, instead of 16 or 18,” Francoeur said.  

He said if a team of officers is not near its quota near the end of the month, the officers will be told to concentrate on handing out tickets and not respond to citizen’s calls as quickly.

“So if you call to make a complaint for a break and entry in your home, or your car has been stolen, you’re going to have to wait for a police officer for many hours,” Francoeur said.