Sourced from 8 news outlets · most facts from statements · 1 point in dispute. How we sourced this
Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher dismissed seven officers Monday amid allegations of racist, discriminatory and other derogatory misconduct, calling the move an exceptional measure to protect public confidence and security.
Key facts
- The Montreal Police Service (SPVM) dismissed seven police officers on Monday after allegations of discriminatory and racist behaviour and other derogatory misconduct.
- SPVM Chief Fady Dagher announced the dismissals at a news conference Monday and described the measures as exceptional or unprecedented to preserve public confidence and security.
- Allegations tied to station 39 include officers cutting the hair of racialized citizens and keeping it as trophies (including locks of dreadlocks).
- Allegations tied to a domestic-violence investigation include an officer allegedly deleting evidence on a victim’s phone, after recognizing the alleged perpetrator.
Five of the officers were from station 39 in Montreal-North and two were from downtown’s station 21. Dagher said the action was unprecedented for the SPVM and reflected a willingness to act against conduct he described as intentionally malicious.
Allegations at stations 39 and 21
The allegations linked to station 39 include officers cutting the hair of racialized citizens and keeping locks of it, including dreadlocks, as trophies.
The station 39 allegations have intensified scrutiny of Montreal police conduct, echoing concerns raised in The Canada Report’s coverage of residents demanding an investigation into police racism allegations and the dismantling of a unit tied to the complaints. The case now turns to how investigators handled a domestic-violence file, including the alleged deletion of evidence from a victim’s phone after the suspect was recognized.
Another allegation concerns a domestic-violence investigation. An officer is alleged to have deleted evidence from a victim’s phone after recognizing the alleged perpetrator.
At station 21, allegations include an officer urinating while in uniform in connection with a person experiencing homelessness, and another officer posing for mocking photographs of suspects under arrest.
Quebec’s police watchdog, the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, is investigating the station 21 allegations.
SPVM says it broke a "culture of silence"
Dagher said the SPVM had broken a “culture of silence.”
“Some people say there are never any consequences at the SPVM,” he said. “Today we are announcing exceptional measures.”
He drew a distinction between mistakes made on the job and the conduct alleged in these cases, saying police officers should be judged by how they treat a person who cannot defend themselves.
Accreditation behind dismissals
The dismissals were administrative, based on the officers no longer meeting accreditation requirements, Dagher said. Those requirements include security-clearance standards and criteria related to good morals and reputation.
The chief said the decision followed consultation with City of Montreal lawyers. The SPVM’s decision to remove the officers from its workforce is separate from any potential criminal proceedings.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada welcomed the decision, calling it an unprecedented step to rebuild public confidence. “No one is above the rules,” she said.
Police union contests administrative dismissals
The Brotherhood of Police Officers of Montreal is contesting the administrative dismissals of all seven members, arguing that the method used raises legal concerns.
In a message to members, union president Yves Francoeur said that, if proven, the allegations would run counter to the union’s values and those of Montreal police officers. But he argued the administrative-dismissal approach itself raises fundamental questions of law.
What we don't know yet
- The SPVM has not specified which exact incidents involved each of the seven officers dismissed on Monday.
- Québec’s prosecution authorities had not yet decided whether criminal charges were warranted in the case involving an officer accused of evidence deletion related to domestic violence.
- The BEI investigation into the station 21 incident has not been reported as completed or resolved.
How outlets covered it
- CTV News (Bell Media) — “7 Montreal police officers fired after allegations of ‘discriminatory and racist behaviour’”, Nov. 2, 2026. By Joe Lofaro. Quoted Montreal police service (SPVM); police Chief Fady Dagher. Not in the other reports here: a provincial police-watchdog investigation into the Station 21 incident.
- Global News (Corus Entertainment) — “Montreal police fire 7 officers over misconduct allegations - Montreal”, Nov. 2, 2026. By Alessia Simona Maratta. Led with the dismissal of seven force members over discriminatory and racist conduct allegations. Quoted SPVM Chief Fady Dagher.
- The Canadian Press (carried by The Globe and Mail) — “Montreal police to fire seven after allegations of discriminatory, racist conduct”, Nov. 2, 2026. Quoted Montreal police.
- CBC News (CBC/Radio-Canada) — “7 Montreal police officers dismissed over racist, discriminatory conduct”, Nov. 2, 2026. Led with the administrative dismissal of seven employees. Quoted Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher.
- Radio-Canada (CBC/Radio-Canada) — “Allégations d’inconduite : le SPVM congédie 7 policiers” (“Allegations of misconduct: the SPVM fires 7 police officers”), Nov. 2, 2026. By Patrick MacIntyre. Quoted director of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM), Fady Dagher; mayor of Montreal, Soraya Martinez Ferrada. Not in the other reports here: the DPCP advising against charges for two sergeants.
- Le Devoir — “Le SPVM renvoie sept policiers en lien avec des allégations de racisme” (“The SPVM fires seven police officers in connection with allegations of racism”), Nov. 2, 2026. By Mathilde Beaulieu-Lépine. Quoted director of the SPVM, Fady Dagher; mayor of Montreal, Soraya Martinez Ferrada; head of Projet Montréal and leader of the opposition, Ericka Alneus; Association of Speakers of Haitian Origin. Not in the other reports here: five recommendations from the Association of Speakers of Haitian Origin.
- TVA Nouvelles (Québecor) — “7 policiers du SPVM congédiés : «Comme citoyenne, je suis très rassurée», dit Marwah Rizqy” (“7 SPVM police officers dismissed: “As a citizen, I am very reassured,” says Marwah Rizqy”), Nov. 3, 2026. By TVA Nouvelles. Led with former MP Marwah Rizqy's response to the dismissals. Quoted Former MP Marwah Rizqy. Not in the other reports here: a Friday-night June press conference at 10 p.m.
CBC News and Radio-Canada are both owned by CBC/Radio-Canada.
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Support The Canada Report →How we sourced this story
| Most key facts come from statements by Fady Dagher, Montreal Police Service (SPVM) and Yves Francoeur, as reported by 8 news outlets. They differ on 1 point. |
10 key facts · 0 independently corroborated · 9 from statements or releases · 1 disputed
Where sources differ
What the officer allegedly urinated on in the station 21 allegations (the person versus their mattress/personal effects).
CTV News: An officer was accused of urinating on a homeless person while in uniform.
The Canadian Press: The allegations include an officer allegedly urinating on a person experiencing homelessness.
ici.radio-canada.ca (1): Radio-Canada learned the agent allegedly urinated on the homeless man's personal effects, and earlier reports had reported urinating on a homeless person.
Why some reports were counted once
Global News and The Globe and Mail — the same Canadian Press report, counted once.
Allegations described here are not proven in court unless stated.
Also used
- Le syndicat conteste le renvoi de 7 policiers du SPVM — Radio-Canada, Nov. 3, 2026 (in French)
- «Le problème est systémique»: le congédiement de sept policiers ne suffit pas, estime la Ligue des droits et libertés — TVA Nouvelles, Nov. 4, 2026 (in French)
French-language reports were read in machine translation; the links go to the originals.
How we put this together: we compare reporting from the outlets above, draft with the help of AI tools, and an editor checks every story before it's published. Our methodology.
