Crime & Justice

Montreal police fire seven officers over racist, discriminatory conduct

The dismissals follow allegations of misconduct at two stations, including cutting hair from racialized civilians as trophies.

By Priya Anand, Justice Reporter
November 3, 2026

MONTREAL · Montreal police have fired seven officers following allegations of racist and discriminatory conduct. Chief Fady Dagher announced the administrative dismissals at a news conference Monday, calling the day unprecedented and historic. He said five of the officers were from Station 39 in Montreal North and two were from Station 21 downtown. Dagher stated the firings relate to allegations of racism, discrimination and the mistreatment of vulnerable people.

"Some people say there are never any consequences at the SPVM. Today we are announcing exceptional measures," Dagher said. He described the officers' actions as "malicious" and not accidental errors. The chief said the force acted in the public interest and for public security. "We judge a police officer by the way they treat those who cannot defend themselves," he added.

The announcement follows Dagher's pledge on Friday for serious action after a series of scandals led to at least six officer suspensions in recent months. He confirmed Monday's dismissals involve the same individuals under investigation. Dagher had warned last week that more evidence would emerge, describing it as "catastrophic" and saying "there's more to come." The internal disciplinary process resulted in the firings, while separate criminal investigations continue.

Allegations against officers at Station 39 include claims they cut the hair of racialized civilians during police stops and kept it as trophies. Police began probing the unit in March after receiving internal complaints about racism and criminal misconduct. The patrol team was dismantled this summer in the multicultural borough, which has a history of tensions between residents and police. At Station 21, allegations involve racism and misconduct toward vulnerable individuals, including people experiencing homelessness. Dagher addressed media reports of an officer urinating on a homeless person, saying his information concerned a "dishonourable act of a similar nature, but not on a human." Other reports allege an officer posed for photos mocking suspects in humiliating arrest positions.

Separately, an officer could face criminal charges for allegedly deleting evidence from a victim's phone in a 2025 domestic violence case. Radio-Canada reported the officer may have known the alleged perpetrator. Dagher did not confirm if this officer was among those dismissed. All case files have been submitted to the Crown prosecutor's office for potential criminal charges. Dagher stressed these cases involve about one per cent of the force, praising the work of the other 99 per cent. "Now we all have to wait for the criminal side," he said, noting that decision rests with the Crown. He believes the criminal cases are solid and charges are a strong possibility.

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said in a statement the police service took an "unprecedented step to rebuild the trust of citizens." She stated, "No one is above the rules. This work is demanding and necessary, and it must continue." Official Opposition Projet Montréal said the dismissals are insufficient and fail to solve the core problem.

Projet Montréal leader Ericka Alneus said firing officers was "only the baseline" and much more is needed to rebuild public trust. She pushed back on Dagher's one per cent figure, saying, "When people call 911, they don't want to play the lottery." The party has tabled an emergency motion seeking Dagher's appearance before city council for questioning. Fo Niemi, executive director of the Center for Research-Action on Race Relations, called the mass dismissal unprecedented in his experience. "There must be some very convincing, and very powerful evidence to justify the dismissal of seven police officers," he told CBC News. The Red Coalition civil-rights group called for an independent public inquiry into systemic racism within the force. Dagher said the force is taking steps to prevent future misconduct and rebuild weakened public trust. He expects more announcements in coming weeks as changes are implemented. "It's a sad day, but it was needed," Dagher said, noting the dismissed officers had already surrendered their guns and badges during their suspensions.

With files from The Canadian Press, Global News and CBC News