History of Public Security

It all began in 1972, when various municipal police departments, including Mount Royal’s, were merged to form the Montreal Urban Community (MUC) Police. As the new MUC police force was more oriented toward the metropolis and given a centralized and specialized mission, the closeness of the Town of Mount Royal police to the community – a proximity cherished by the Garden City – became less and less of a reality.

This upsetting turn of events prompted the Town to re-examine its approach to public security.

When founded in August 1980, Town of Mount Royal Public Security was given the mission that it maintains to this day: enforce Town regulations and carry out preventive patrols of the Town. Initially part of the TMR Fire Department, the unit was going to be run on a trail basis for a few months. Instead, it became a permanent fixture known for its adaptability, proximity and efficiency. 

On December 1, 1983, the Town hired an assistant director of Public Security operations and a spokesperson for the Neighbourhood Watch program.

In 1992, the department’s organization structure consisted of a director, an assistant director, five sergeants and eight full-time patrollers contracted through a private security firm.

In 2017, a strategic plan was implemented to bring the department even closer to Townies’ needs.

Personnel training has been adapted and refreshed while practices have been updated, notably by adding computer hardware and tools to the patrol vehicles and developing better performing databases.

The department also got a new look. Patrollers’ uniforms and vehicles underwent a metamorphosis aimed at making them more visible and better suited to their mission.

The plan also called for developing and implementing prevention programs to address residents’ rising concerns about a perceived increase in criminal activity.

As part of the changes, a community-relations officer was recruited in 2018 with the aim of further enhancing prevention services for schools, young people, seniors and vulnerable groups. 

In the years since, TMR PS has become both a prevention leader and an indispensable partner of the Montreal police department (SPVM) in the fight against crime.

In July 2021, all Public Security personnel were integrated into the Town’s regular workforce and are now an integral part of Mount Royal’s organization structure.

These days, programs like Neighbourhood Watch and the Home Alarm Response are an essential part of the daily work of our patrollers, who are constantly focused on maintaining a safe and peaceful environment in the Garden City.

Our patrollers provide a reassuring presence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Our personnel work to earn your trust by always acting with professionalism, civility and courtesy.

Learn more about our services and programs on the "Public Security Services" page.