Police sounding alarm on rising crime, violence among youth in Longueuil

Crimes involving youth and weapons in Longueuil have risen 64 per cent since 2021, with minors aged 12 to 17 now responsible for one in every five violent crimes.

That’s according to data provided Monday by the Service de police de l’agglomération de Longueuil (SPAL), which is sounding the alarm.

Police say the number of minors involved in violent offences jumped 42 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, and many are questioning what’s behind the spike.

“It’s clear that this is not just a police issue,” said Brossard Mayor, Doreen Assad. “It’s a social issue.”

Last year, 144 minors – with an average age of 15 – were charged with offences against a person. Among them, 14 cases involved weapons, including an actual firearm, knives, pellet guns and pepper spray.

“In conflicts, that before would happen in schools where things used to be fought with fists, now they are using bladed weapons,” said Longueuil Police Chief, Patrick Bélanger.

Gaëlle Absolonne, general Director of the Centre de services scolaire Marie-Victorin, added that they have observed a slight increase in students carrying pepper spray on them while at school.

This announcement comes after a violent incident occurred on Jan. 21 near Antoine-Bresseur school in Brossard, “one that was very concerning to us,” said Bélanger.

Bélanger explained that an act of violence between young individuals aged 15 to 18 escalated, leading to a knife being used and the discharge of a firearm. One individual sustained minor injuries as a result.

In response, police, schools, and community partners are joining forces to step up patrols and prevention programs to keep youths and the community safe.

“Behind crimes, there’s distress from our youth. We need to address that distress and show up in order to be there for our teenagers,” said Longueuil Mayor, Catherine Fournier.

Longueuil police announced they will be boosting their visibility in and around schools targeting key times. School arrival, lunch, and end of day dismissal will be made priority for surveillance. Prevention teams are also moving to permanent social-media monitoring to spot threats before they escalate.

“It’s a reorientation of our resources. There are many sections that we are reorienting to be more youth focused,” said Bélanger. “There are criminal and organized groups that recruit young people. That in itself is already something very concerning.”

Beyond policing, community groups say families play a critical role. Maison des Jeunes L’Escalier en Mon Temps is calling on parents to better understand the support systems available, stay connected with schools, and work alongside police to help combat the issue.

“We try to collaborate with the parents, but it’s difficult,” said Stéphanie Villarroel, coordinator for Maison des Jeunes L’Escalier en Mon Temps. “I think parents aren’t aware of the situation on the ground right now, and they justify some of their children’s actions.”

Absolonne highlighted that it’s important to provide youth with all the tools they need “in order to be conscious of the behavior to adopt and the behaviors not to adopt.”

“We don’t want our kids to grow in an environment where they’re concerned, where parents are worried, and where business owners are highlighting issues,” added Assad.