Seven Montreal officers fired over racism allegations; union challenges dismissal method
Seven Montreal police officers were fired Monday over allegations of racist and discriminatory conduct. The police union says the dismissal method is unprecedented and non-compliant.
Montreal police union vows legal challenge after seven officers dismissed over racism allegations
Seven Montreal police officers were dismissed Monday over allegations of racist, discriminatory and criminal misconduct involving vulnerable people, ca.news.yahoo.com reports. The Montreal police brotherhood has since signalled it will challenge the method used to carry out the firings.
Police chief Fady Dagher told reporters the force revoked the officers' accreditation and security clearance through what he described as an administrative dismissal — a process developed in consultation with the city's lawyers. Dagher said the force had submitted material from its investigation to the Crown prosecutor's office, which will determine whether criminal charges are laid.
"It is a very sad moment and dark. But in the meantime, we needed to do it," Dagher said, adding that immediate action was necessary to preserve public trust.
Brotherhood president Yves Francoeur responded in a letter to members the following day, acknowledging that the alleged conduct, if substantiated, would profoundly violate police values. He nonetheless argued the dismissal process itself was legally questionable.
"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. "This approach appears to us to be clearly non-compliant and could prove harmful to you in the future."
Francoeur maintained that an employer cannot unilaterally rewrite the rules governing its relationship with employees, and said the brotherhood would take what he called appropriate measures to defend the rule of law.
Dagher acknowledged on Monday that the officers could seek to contest their dismissals and potentially be reinstated, but said the force would in that case refer the matter to its disciplinary committee.
Montreal police said Tuesday afternoon they had received no indication the officers were contesting the firings — a statement that appeared to predate Francoeur's letter to members.
Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)