English
Montreal’s police force is facing a deepening trust crisis after Chief Fady Dagher announced the simultaneous firing of seven officers over allegations of racism, discrimination, criminal misconduct and the mistreatment of vulnerable people. The dismissals mark the most significant disciplinary action in the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal’s recent history. However, researchers and community advocates say the move raises serious questions about whether the SPVM is addressing the root causes of the scandal or simply managing its public image.
Seven Officers Fired in Unprecedented Action
Dagher called the dismissals “unprecedented and historic.” Five of the fired officers served at Station 39 in Montreal North, while two came from Station 21 downtown. He said all seven had surrendered their guns and badges. “Some people say there are never any consequences at the SPVM,” Dagher said. “Today we are announcing exceptional measures.”
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The allegations are serious. Officers at Station 39 reportedly cut the hair of racialized citizens and kept it as trophies. At Station 21, separate claims emerged involving the mistreatment of people experiencing homelessness, including one allegation that an officer urinated on an unhoused person. Additionally, one officer allegedly concealed evidence in a 2025 domestic violence case, and another reportedly posed for photographs mocking handcuffed suspects. Dagher confirmed the cases have been submitted to the Crown prosecutor’s office for review.
Sonia Para Jordan of Action Plan Against Intimate Partner Violence welcomed the firings. “This is a big step forward and sets a precedent of more definitive consequence to misconduct from police officers,” she said, adding she hopes criminal charges follow.
Advocates Question Depth of Accountability
Not everyone shares that optimism. Daniele-Jocelyne Otou, executive director of Montreal’s Black Healing Centre, drew a sharp distinction between transparency and genuine accountability. “There’s transparency, which they’re great at as part of their PR, but then there’s also accountability, which I think they skirt around,” she said.
Otou argued that firing seven officers does not prove the underlying institutional conditions have changed. Community worker and human rights advocate Ricardo Lamour was more direct. “For me, it’s a push to control the narrative at all costs,” he said. Lamour also called for outside state oversight, arguing that the public needs more information, including the names of dismissed officers.
Retired RCMP staff sergeant and McGill jurist Alain Babineau welcomed Dagher’s efforts but said accountability must extend further up the ranks. “I want to see some sergeants, some inspector, lieutenant, and if need be, some assistant director that takes the fall for this,” he said. Babineau also criticized Dagher for using part of the news conference to praise uninvolved officers, saying it was not the right moment.
Press Conference Timing Draws Criticism
The SPVM’s communication strategy has also attracted scrutiny. Several news conferences during the scandal were called on short notice, often late in the day and just before weekends. The first, in June, was announced just over an hour before it began at 9 p.m. on a Friday.
Ted Rutland, an associate professor at Concordia University, said the timing makes it harder for journalists to prepare questions and seek outside perspectives. “It seems to me that the way these press conferences are called late fits within an overall public relations strategy that seeks to control how we talk about the problems,” he said. Otou agreed, saying last-minute announcements “dictate and control the conditions of the conversation.”
Union Challenges Dismissals, City Hall Faces Questions
The Montreal Police Brotherhood announced it intends to challenge all seven dismissals. Union president Yves Francoeur said the administrative process used was entirely unprecedented in the force’s labour relations history. “This approach appears to us to be clearly non-compliant and could prove harmful in the future,” he wrote. Dagher acknowledged the officers could contest their dismissals and seek reinstatement, but said immediate action was necessary to maintain public trust.
Meanwhile, questions have extended to Montreal City Hall. Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada called the firings “an unprecedented step to rebuild public trust.” However, Rutland argued that focusing on Dagher alone risks overlooking the municipal government’s own responsibility. Quebec’s internal security minister Guy Lapointe Jr. also weighed in, calling the allegations “extremely troubling and unacceptable.” For Otou, the real test remains ahead. “If they don’t have anybody holding them accountable, then how are we supposed to trust that actual systemic change is being done internally?” she said.
