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Seven Montreal police officers lost their jobs this week following allegations of racism, abuse of power, discrimination and mistreatment of vulnerable people. Community advocates welcomed the move but said it must mark the beginning of broader reform, not the end of it.
Dismissals Draw Cautious Praise From Advocates
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher announced Monday that the seven officers had been administratively dismissed following allegations of criminal misconduct. David Chapman, executive director of Resilience Montreal, called the decision a meaningful step. “Honestly, it was refreshing to see that this time there were finally some consequences,” he told Global News on Tuesday.
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Chapman’s organization serves people experiencing homelessness. Two of the dismissed officers came from Station 21 in eastern downtown Montreal. Allegations there included the repeated humiliation of an unhoused person, including being urinated on while sleeping. Chapman said he hopes the dismissals send a clear message to the broader force. “If there’s no consequences, that sends a message where other officers can see, well, we can more or less do what we want and we’re going to get away with it,” he said.
Five of the dismissed officers served at Station 39 in Montreal North. Allegations emerged last summer that a group of officers had cut dreadlocks from Black men and kept them as trophies. Station 21 also houses an officer alleged to have deliberately deleted video evidence in a domestic violence case.
Calls for Accountability at Higher Levels
Alain Babineau, a McGill jurist, retired RCMP staff sergeant and director of racial profiling at the Red Coalition, praised Dagher’s efforts. However, he argued that accountability must reach further up the chain of command. “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,” Babineau said.
Babineau also criticized Dagher for using part of Monday’s press conference to praise the majority of Montreal officers. “It was not the time to give the good cops flowers. It was a time to hit on the head of the bad cops and to also reassure the community,” he said.
Sonia Para Jordan of Action Plan Against Intimate Partner Violence said the dismissals set an important precedent. “This is a big step forward and sets a precedent of more definitive consequence to misconduct from police officers,” she said. Para Jordan added that she hopes criminal charges will follow. Dagher confirmed Monday that the force had submitted investigation findings to the Crown prosecutor’s office, which will determine whether to lay charges.
Police Union Challenges the Process
Meanwhile, Montreal’s police union raised concerns about how the dismissals were carried out. Brotherhood president Yves Francoeur said in a message to members that the administrative process used appeared unprecedented and may not comply with existing labour rules.
“This is a method that’s entirely unprecedented in our history of labour relations, which has never been used and does not appear anywhere,” Francoeur wrote Tuesday. He added that the union “will defend the rule of law, and will take appropriate measures to do so.”
Dagher said the force consulted city lawyers before revoking the officers’ accreditation and security clearances. He acknowledged the officers could challenge their dismissals and seek reinstatement. As of Tuesday afternoon, Montreal police said it had received no indication the officers were contesting the decision.
