Fourth Montreal police officer suspended in racism and misconduct investigation

MONTREAL — A fourth Montreal police officer was suspended earlier this month as part of an investigation into allegations of racism and misconduct involving a now-disbanded patrol unit in a multicultural Montreal neighbourhood, the force announced Tuesday.

Allegations made public in June included claims that officers with the Montréal-Nord 16-member unit cut the hair of racialized citizens to keep as trophies.

Police said Tuesday the suspension took effect Aug. 19 and that the alleged conduct occurred while the officer was working with the unit at Station 39 that was dismantled in June.

“Discriminatory or racist behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated, whether among its staff or toward citizens,” the statement read.

Police Chief Fady Dagher has described the decision to dismantle the unit as “unprecedented,” saying the information police had gathered was “so severe” and “so serious” that the force “didn’t want to take any chances.”

Dagher has said the force first learned of alleged racist behaviour involving officers at the station through internal reports in March.

On June 12, all 16 members of the patrol unit were disarmed, two officers were initially suspended, three were assigned to administrative duties and the remaining members were transferred elsewhere.

A third officer was suspended June 18. Dagher later said the first two suspensions were connected to one incident involving one person, while the third stemmed from a separate incident involving another person and different alleged conduct.

Police have provided few details about the allegation that led to the fourth officer’s suspension.

They have referred some of the evidence to public prosecutors as their professional standards division pursues its investigation. Quebec Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière appointed law professor Anne-Marie Boisvert in June as an independent observer to monitor the investigations into the allegations.

The allegations have prompted calls from residents, community groups and Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada for an independent public inquiry.

They have also renewed scrutiny of the relationship between police and residents in Montréal-Nord, where community advocates have raised concerns about racial profiling and discriminatory policing for years.

Dagher has maintained that the police had not received complaints from citizens about the alleged conduct that ultimately led to the dismantling of the unit.

A new team was deployed July 13 to replace the dismantled patrol unit.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2026.

Charlotte Glorieux, The Canadian Press