Seven Montreal police firings spark calls for systemic reform in SPVM
Community groups demand more than dismissals after seven SPVM officers were fired over racist conduct. A public inquiry and permanent reform are among the calls.
Montreal groups push for deeper reform after seven officers dismissed
The administrative dismissal of seven Montreal police officers has drawn both praise and sharp criticism from community groups and residents, who say the move — while historic — does not go far enough, cbc.ca reports.
"What the community is expecting is systemic changes," said Pierreson Vaval, founder of Équipe RDP, an east-end community group supporting local youth and families. "It has to be impossible for people who have the profile of a racist individual to get into the police school."
Chief Fady Dagher announced the dismissals on Monday: five officers from Station 39 in the Montréal-Nord borough and two from Station 21 in the downtown core, in connection with allegations of discriminatory and racist behaviour as well as derogatory acts. Speaking on CBC's Daybreak the following morning, Dagher described the action as "historic," saying it had never been done in the city before.
Dagher said a new action plan is underway to rebuild trust with the public, including community consultations. The plan — expected by the end of December — will outline revisions to the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM)'s recruitment, training and promotion processes.
Calls for a public inquiry
Sommet Jeunes Afro, a network focused on the economic and social development of Black youth in Quebec, is calling for a public inquiry. Vice-president Alix Adrien, who also heads the Quebec Board of Black Educators, said the dismissals do not "go far enough to deal with the problem," and that the two targeted stations are likely not the only ones requiring scrutiny.
Vaval acknowledged the action taken so far is meaningful — "now we're seeing very concrete action, consequences" — but warned that there is still reason to worry the coming changes will be cosmetic. "Things have to change now," he said. "We need to put in place the proper actions so we can have permanent changes in that matter."
Residents demand transparency and accountability
Montréal-Nord resident Elise Gue said the firings are not necessarily reassuring. "If you're already a racist at home, you're going to bring that where you go," she said. "I think it's a bigger problem than only what we see."
Fellow resident Marie-Piere Lalonde-Martel called for greater transparency. "There are things we don't know," she said. "Everything is pretty much hidden all the time."
Local artist and social worker Ricardo Lamour went further, arguing the names of the seven dismissed officers should be made public. "We need their names because the public also needs to be protected from them," Lamour said. In any other professional context, he noted, individuals alleged to have urinated on homeless people, cut off locs as trophies, or committed similar acts against people would be identified. "We need the police of Montreal to be accountable to the population."
Seasoned observers remain cautious
Alain Babineau, a former Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer and director of racial profiling and public safety at the Red Coalition, noted that every five years the SPVM produces a plan to address racism and discrimination. "People are tired of plans," he said.
Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, offered a more measured assessment. The overall message from police leadership is positive, he said, particularly given the "horror stories" that have emerged since an investigation into a 16-member unit at Station 39 was announced in June. He pointed to what he sees as a growing willingness among officers to report colleagues' misconduct. However, not every report is acted upon, he cautioned.
Quebec's Crown prosecutor's office is currently investigating an officer who, according to Radio-Canada sources, allegedly deleted evidence from a victim's phone in a 2025 domestic violence case. When a fellow officer flagged the deletion to superiors, she alleges the matter was ignored.
Union to challenge the firings
The union representing Montreal police officers intends to contest the dismissals. In an internal memo circulated Tuesday, the union's president stated that the manner in which the seven officers were dismissed raises "fundamental questions of law."
The investigation into Station 39 that precipitated these dismissals was first announced in June, following a series of allegations involving the 16-member unit. The SPVM's next steps — including the action plan due by December's end — will be closely watched by community groups who say the momentum must be maintained to preserve public trust.
Source: Google News CA — Crime (EN)