Patrolling deserted streets

The curfew imposed by the government of Quebec in an effort to halt the spread of COVID has most assuredly had an impact on police officers’ work. They must enforce curfew related rules … and patrol cities that become ghost towns the moment the clock strikes 8 pm. “It’s a really strange feeling,” Officer Martine Denis of the Châteauguay Police Department said at the outset. “You’re patrolling streets at 9 pm, but you get the impression that it’s 4 am because the roads have been practically deserted,” she recounted in an interview. Under normal circumstances, there is always a regular stream of road traffic, in particular due to some of the large surface stores that are usually open until 9 pm. Since January 9th, it’s been quiet from 8 pm to 5 am. Police are mandated with ensuring compliance for this first curfew in Quebec’s history. Anyone who is found out of their home is liable to be intercepted by police. Office Denis emphasized that she stops far more vehicles than usual. Before the curfew went into effect, Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault explained that police had the authority to issue tickets to anyone who did not respect the regulations and that the onus was on citizens to prove that they were lawfully outside of their homes. A Cooperative Majority “The vast majority of people that we intercept are outside with good reason. They have documentation that justifies them breaking curfew. They are restaurant delivery people, health care workers, people going to pick up a sick relative from hospital,” the officer listed. She stated that citizens are polite and understand their job. “There will always be a small minority who defy the rules. We don’t take pleasure in issuing tickets. We are aware that the fines are significant,” she said. Ticket amounts range from $1000 to $6000, depending on the circumstances. Regarding emergency calls, the officer stated that she had not noticed a decrease since January 9th. Tickets issued between January 9th and 25th The Châteauguay Police Department issued 34 tickets for non-compliance with curfew between Saturday, January 9th and Thursday, January 25th. During that period, police officers intercepted 941 vehicles and 1077 citizens throughout the territory they serve, namely Châteauguay, Beauharnois, Léry and Saint-Isidore. (Translation Amanda Bennett)