Montreal police set up online portal to report physical distancing violators

The Service de police de la Ville de Montreal (SPVM) has set up an online portal that allows citizens to report physical distancing violators, prohibited gatherings, non-compliance with sanitary measures, and the operations of non-essential businesses.

The SPVM’s system has been set up to reduce the amount of calls police forces are receiving since measures were put in place.

“You can report these types of situations online without having to call 911 or contact your neighbourhood station,” states the SPVM website. “Once completed and submitted, this report will be processed according to emergency priorities.”

• See also:
  • Quebec police to strictly enforce physical distancing rules: Legault
  • Quebec police to restrict travel to regions throughout the province
  • Two metre physical distancing will last “months” in Quebec: Legault

At the beginning of April, Quebec Premier François Legault said he was notifying police departments around the province to start cracking down on citizens who don’t respect physical distancing rules.

Legault said officers of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) and local police will begin to be “less tolerant.”

Police officers can hand out on-the-spot fines for people breaking the rules which vary between $1,000 and $6,000.

Les Montréalais sont dorénavant invités à se rendre sur le site Internet du #SPVM pour remplir un signalement en ligne visant une situation portant atteinte aux consignes et aux directives gouvernementales relatives à la #COVID19

En savoir + : https://t.co/qXR2VFC76v pic.twitter.com/U9cIDrKWXQ

— Police Montréal (@SPVM) April 10, 2020

According to the online portal, examples of law-breaking includes parties inside a residence with “non-resident” people, soccer matches in the park, restaurants that aren’t complying with “prescribed hygiene rules.”

All reports must take place within the Montreal territory.