Fourth Montreal Officer Suspended Over Racism Allegations in Disbanded Patrol Unit

A fourth Montreal police officer has been suspended amid ongoing racism and discrimination allegations tied to a 16-member patrol unit dissolved in June.

Fourth Montreal Officer Suspended Amid Racism Probe

A fourth Montreal police officer has been suspended in connection with racism and discrimination allegations that prompted Chief Fady Dagher to dissolve a north-end station patrol unit, Global News Crime reports.

The officer's suspension took effect Aug. 19. According to a Montreal police news release issued Tuesday, the alleged conduct occurred while the officer was assigned to the 16-member patrol unit that was disbanded in June.

Dagher dissolved the unit after allegations emerged that officers had cut the hair of racialized individuals and kept it as trophies. Two officers were suspended in relation to that incident. A third suspension, announced previously, involved an unrelated matter. Files from all three earlier cases have been forwarded to Quebec's prosecution service.

The fourth suspension was disclosed two weeks after Dagher faced questions from the public at a special meeting at Montreal City Hall. Residents expressed frustration over persistent distrust between law enforcement and the multicultural community of Montreal North. Several speakers called for the abolition of random street checks — a practice Dagher said is prohibited, though he acknowledged some officers continue to carry it out.

Fo Niemi, executive director of the Centre for Research-Action on Race, told Global News Crime after the public meeting: "The police can't do it alone. The police being one of the services of the city, the city politicians and the boroughs should be involved in these solutions."

Montreal police said no further details on the suspensions would be released while an internal investigation remains ongoing.

Source: Global News Crime