While it is usually the police keeping an eye on demonstrators, today it was the officers themselves who were protesting.

The officers are fighting to keep a shortened work week pilot project in place. The trial ends on March 20th and the city has said it won't continue it.

Officers say the new schedule is great, and benefits everyone.

"It's longer hours, but you're home more often," one officer told CJAD. "Everyone loves to do their job, but family life is also important."

"The citizens have never received great service like this from the police in the past," says officer Frank from Ville St-Laurent who didn't want to give his last name. "We're a lot, we're available, we solve problems, but it's all about money again."

About 1,000 off-duty officers showed up to the protest, chanting slogans, holding up signs, and blowing whistles. Officers in uniform were also standing around to ensure the safety of everyone.

Yves Francoeur, the president of the police brotherhood, says the city does not have a rational reason why it wants to revoke the new schedule, where on average officers work 3 or 4 days a week, but work longer hours on those days. 

"I really don't know what is the problem," he says, "it's a win-win situation for the officers and the citizens, and we don't understand what the issue is right now." 

Francoeur adds that one of the reasons the city wants to stop the project and go back to the old ways is because this new system is too expensive. He says that is completely false and unfounded.

"According to our studies it actually costs less," he says, "what proof does the city have?"

Francoeur would not say what other pressure tactics are in store but assures that the union is going to keep fighting for what it believes is right.