Mayors approve of new police office hours

BY RAFFY BOUDJIKANIAN

raffy.boudjikanian@transcontinental.ca

West Island mayors say they are satisfied with changes to police public service counter hours in the area.

Stations 1, 3, 4 and 5, which between them cover territories from Beaconsfield to Pointe Claire and Dorval, open their public service counters only from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. As of now, however, citizens will be able to call 911 and set up a telephone appointment with police for non-emergency events, such as simple theft without violence, vandalism or lost objects.

"They say they'll be able to get more police on the road," said Pointe Claire Mayor Bill McMurchie, explaining that shortening the service hours at the police stations will allow more officers to patrol the streets.

"I'm willing to accept the reduction in service (hours) in return for that," said Beaconsfield Mayor Bob Benedetti.

Police media communications agent Lynn Pelletier said the measures have already proven popular with some citizens who are physically unable to go to their local police stations to register complaints. "We got a number of calls from the physically handicapped and visually impaired," she said.

Both McMurchie and Benedetti said their offices had been consulted by Montreal police before it decided on this move. Benedetti estimated that about four more police officers would be assigned to patrol from Station 1, which covers Baie d'Urfé, Beaconsfield, Kirkland, Senneville and Ste. Anne de Bellevue, and McMurchie said there would be two for Station 5, which also covers Dorval.