Two Montreal police officers working in the Montreal‑North borough have been suspended following allegations of discriminatory and racist behaviour toward members of the public, police Chief Fady Dagher said Friday evening.
Dagher said 14 other officers from Station 39 have been reassigned to duties that do not involve contact with the public in connection with the case.
The two suspended officers are under investigation by the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions for possible Criminal Code offences.
Dagher said the investigation began in March after information was brought forward by members of the Montreal police service.
Earlier Friday, La Presse and Radio‑Canada reported officers allegedly cut the hair of racialized individuals and kept it as “trophies.” Dagher confirmed during a news conference that those claims are among the allegations.
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Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said she had been informed of the situation.
“I immediately contacted the minister of public security. We agreed to work together to accelerate the rollout of body cameras within the SPVM. Any form of racial profiling or violence is unacceptable,” she said in a statement.