Montreal mayor calls for end to random police checks amid racial profiling probe

The internal investigation, announced by Police Chief Fady Dagher, involves officers accused of disproportionately targeting Black and Arab residents. Two officers have been suspended, and two cases have been forwarded to Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions. Allegations include cutting dreadlocks from individuals during stops and issuing tickets based solely on ethnic background.

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette deemed the alleged actions unacceptable but stopped short of calling it systemic racism, characterizing it as the work of a "small group." However, past incidents suggest a pattern of racial profiling within the province's police forces. A 2024 court ruling awarded damages in a class-action lawsuit, finding that racialized groups are over-represented in police stops due to racial profiling. Additionally, a 2021 coroner's report highlighted systemic racism in a hospital's treatment of an Indigenous woman.

Mayor Ferrada views the moratorium on random checks as a crucial first step toward repairing relations with affected citizens and rebuilding trust. She also emphasized the importance of body cameras as a tool to combat future misconduct, though she acknowledged it is not a complete solution.