Seven Montreal police officers fired following misconduct allegations

Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher announced Monday that seven officers have been dismissed administratively following allegations of criminal misconduct, including racism, discrimination, abuse of power, and the treatment of vulnerable people.

Details of the Dismissals

The dismissed officers are distributed across two locations:

• Station 21: Two officers from this station in eastern downtown Montreal face allegations involving the humiliation of an unhoused person. Station 21 is also the home base of an officer alleged to have deliberately deleted video evidence in a domestic violence case.
• Station 39: Five officers from this station in Montreal North face allegations from last summer involving a group of officers who allegedly cut dreadlocks from Black men and kept them as trophies.

Chief Dagher stated the force consulted city lawyers before revoking the officers' accreditation and security clearances through administrative dismissal. He noted the force needed to act immediately to maintain public trust. The police force has submitted investigation information to the Crown prosecutor’s office, which will decide whether criminal charges are laid.

Reactions from Advocates and Union

Community advocates expressed varying reactions to the decision:

• Resilience Montreal: Executive director David Chapman said, “Honestly, it was refreshing to see that this time there were finally some consequences.”
• Action Plan Against Intimate Partner Violence: Sonia Para Jordan said the dismissals set a precedent of "more definitive consequence to misconduct from police officers" and expressed hope that criminal charges will be laid.
• Red Coalition: Racial profiling director Alain Babineau praised efforts to address racist behavior but stated, “I want to see more. I want to see some sergeants, some inspector, lieutenant, and if need be, some assistant commissioner or assistant director that takes the fall for this.”

Montreal’s police union, the Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal (FPPM), raised concerns regarding the legality of the dismissal process. President Yves Francoeur stated in a message to members that the administrative dismissal "raises fundamental questions of law" and is "a method that’s entirely unprecedented in our history of labour relations, which has never been used and does not appear anywhere."

Francoeur added, “This approach appears to us to be clearly non-compliant and could prove harmful in the future,” and noted that the union will defend the rule of law.

Why it matters

The decision marks an unusual administrative action for the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). While Chief Dagher acknowledged the officers could challenge their dismissals and seek reinstatement, he stated the force would refer them to its disciplinary committee if they return.

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Sources

• globalnews.ca: ‘I want to see more’: Activists call for further action after 7 Montreal police officers fired - Montreal | Globalnews.ca
• lapresse.ca: Congédiement de sept policiers | Le syndicat va contester la décision du SPVM
• enbeauce.com: La Fraternité des policiers de Montréal remet en cause le congédiement de sept agents | EnBeauce.com

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.