A retired Montreal police officer has completed a citywide training program that prepared roughly 2,000 patrol officers to react to active‑shooter situations. The effort, carried out under the auspices of the Montreal police department, marks the largest single‑session instruction of its kind in the city.
The training sessions focused on tactics, communication protocols and decision‑making processes required when confronting an active shooter. Officers from across the Montreal metropolitan area participated, bringing the total number of participants to about two thousand. The retired officer, who spent his career in the Montreal police force, delivered the curriculum using the department’s facilities and resources.
Officials say the program is intended to raise the overall readiness of the police force against the growing threat of mass‑shooting incidents. By standardising response procedures and ensuring that a large segment of the patrol roster is familiar with the latest guidelines, the department hopes to shorten response times and improve coordination during emergencies.
The initiative follows the Dawson incident, which prompted the Montreal police to reassess its preparedness for active‑shooter scenarios. In the wake of that event, the department launched an extensive training campaign aimed at equipping its officers with the skills needed to protect the public and neutralise threats swiftly. The retired officer’s involvement was part of that broader response, leveraging his experience to accelerate the learning curve for active‑shooter response across the force.
With the completion of the program on September 13, 2026, the Montreal police department now has a sizable cohort of patrol officers who have received dedicated instruction on handling active‑shooter incidents, a step the agency says will enhance public safety and operational effectiveness.