In brief
Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher announced the administrative dismissal of two officers from Station 21 and five from Station 39 after investigations uncovered racist behavior. The firings come as a broader effort to address systemic bias in the force, with ongoing criminal probes on charges led by Crown prosecutors. The incident highlights the continued challenges of rebuilding public trust in Montreal’s policing.
Montreal Police Service fired seven officers on 3 November 2026 after internal investigations found evidence of racist and discriminatory conduct. The decisions were announced at a press conference by Police Chief Fady Dagher.
Dagher disclosed that two officers had been dismissed from Station 21 and five from Station 39. The administrative dismissals followed a disciplinary inquiry into alleged hateful and discriminatory actions carried out by members of the force.
"Any decision on charges rests with Crown prosecutors," Dagher said, adding that the police service was "living under the rule of law."
Internal investigations revealed that the officers engaged in conduct that violated the police service’s code of conduct. Criminal probes are still ongoing, and the Crown prosecutors will determine whether criminal charges are filed.
Station 39, located in Montreal‑Nord, has been the focus of a racism scandal that began in June. Dagher said that 16 officers had been investigated for allegedly targeting Black and Arab people during police stops. The investigation at Station 39 is part of a broader review of officer conduct.
Station 21, covering parts of downtown Montreal, received scrutiny last month after the Quebec Minister of Domestic Security ordered two investigations into an officer accused of urinating on homeless people while in uniform. Another officer from the same station was suspended over alleged acts of humiliation targeting racialised people, according to the report.
Dagher acknowledged that public trust has been "largely weakened" but expressed confidence that it can be rebuilt. He explained that the decision to delay firings was driven by a desire to investigate potential accomplices, a process that takes time. He also admitted that victims have been "waiting too long."
In response to the scandal, the police service has overhauled its recruitment, training, promotion and internal investigation procedures. It has introduced tools that allow officers to report misconduct by their colleagues, an effort aimed at increasing transparency and accountability.
Dagher vowed to be "merciless" toward the roughly 1% of officers who deliberately tarnish the uniform. He said the force would continue to pursue reforms to maintain the integrity of law enforcement in Montreal.
Separately, Quebec’s Crown prosecution office is reportedly investigating an officer accused of deleting evidence from a domestic violence victim’s phone. That investigation is part of a wider effort to hold police officers accountable for misconduct during investigations of other crimes.
The firings and ongoing investigations underscore the civic stakes of policing in Montreal. They demonstrate how institutions, courts, elections and public accountability are linked when officers fail to uphold the values of a democratic society. The outcome of these investigations will influence how citizens perceive the reliability of law enforcement and how the city moves forward in its commitment to justice and equality.
