Montreal police have dismissed seven members of the force following extensive investigations into allegations of discriminatory, racist, and criminal misconduct. The disciplinary actions mark a major step for the municipal police service as leadership confronts a growing series of institutional scandals.
During a news conference on Monday, SPVM Chief Fady Dagher stated that the department’s long-standing “culture of silence” has been broken. Addressing the public, Dagher emphasized that the dismissals were necessary for public security and the public interest, noting that the terminated officers’ actions were malicious rather than accidental errors. He remarked that a police officer’s character is ultimately measured by how they treat individuals who cannot defend themselves.
The announcement follows a press briefing late last week in which Dagher pledged decisive disciplinary measures and warned the public that upcoming evidence from ongoing misconduct investigations would prove catastrophic, cautioning that additional disclosures remain forthcoming.
The sweeping allegations involve multiple infractions, including criminal misconduct and racism by officers assigned to a specialized patrol unit in Montreal North. That particular unit operated within a multicultural northeast borough characterized by historical tensions between local residents and law enforcement, which have previously included complaints of police brutality. Internal investigations into the unit began in March after officials received complaints alleging racism and criminal acts, including disturbing reports that officers cut the hair of racialized citizens and retained the hair as trophies.
In addition to the Montreal North unit, the seven dismissed personnel include officers stationed at a downtown precinct where two separate members have faced suspensions over recent months for alleged discriminatory and derogatory behavior.
The dismissals arrive amid a broader wave of misconduct probes involving the department. Last week, police disclosed that an officer could face criminal charges for allegedly concealing evidence in a 2025 domestic violence investigation. According to media reports published Thursday, the officer responded to the case and allegedly deleted video evidence supplied by the victim on her mobile phone after recognizing the alleged perpetrator.
Other severe allegations that have surfaced in recent months involve an officer accused of urinating on a homeless person and another officer who allegedly posed for photographs mocking detained suspects in humiliating positions.
