A directive which instructs police officers in the municipality of Richelieu/Saint Laurent to issue twelve tickets per shift during the summer and fall of 2014 was published by Radio Canada.
The directive suggests that officers concentrate on a variety of infractions in order to attain their ticket quota including using a cell phone while driving, speeding, not respecting road signs, expired licenses and insurance papers, tinted windows which are too dark, loud mufflers, dangerous driving and inappropriate gestures.
If you are parked illegally and leave your doors unlocked you could still get a ticket but these won’t count toward their quotas.
The directive raises serious concerns about the erosion of public trust toward the police. Can someone expect the equal and fair treatment if they encounter an officer who has already attained their quota vs one who hasn’t? Is it morally right for an officer to go looking for additional infractions to give in order to reach the quota when they otherwise wouldn’t have?
MontrealRacing.com contacted the SPVM to find out of there was a similar rule in pace. The SPVM confirmed that its officers have no quota for tickets so you 514 residents can relax a little bit.
The Régie intermunicipale de police Richelieu Saint-Laurent covers the following cities:
Beloeil
Calixa-Lavallée
Carignan
Chambly
Contrecoeur
McMasterville
Mont St-Hilaire
Otterburn Park
Saint-Amable
Saint-Basile-Le-Grand
Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Saint-Julie
Saint-Mathias-Sur-Richelieu
Saint-Mathieu-de-Beloeil
Richelieu
Varennes
Verchères
If you live in one of these cities and feel you have been ticketed unfairly we’d like to hear about it! Use the contact form at the bottom of the page to send your stories or make a post in the forum. Take a look at the directive below.