Quebec’s Internal Security Minister has ordered a public inquiry into allegations that a Montreal police officer urinated on an unhoused person.
In a press release Sunday, the ministry said the newly sworn-in minister Guy Lapointe Jr., has mandated the Police Ethics Commissioner and the police watchdog (BEI) to probe the matter in order “to maintain public trust.”
The police officer in question, from Station 21, was suspended by the SPVM earlier this month, along another officer who got sanctioned for an unrelated incident also involving an unhoused person. An investigation by SPVM’s Professional Standards Division is underway.
“This is not a vote of no confidence in the Montreal Police Service, nor is it about questioning the quality of the investigation,” Lapointe said.
“It is rather a question of transparency. It is clear to me that, in this specific case, the investigation must be conducted by an external entity in order to preserve public trust.”
Lapointe previously served as the director of communications at the Sûreté du Québec before entering politics.
Add CityNews Montreal as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.
