Fourth SPVM officer suspended as Station 39 racism investigation widens
A fourth Montreal police officer has been suspended in connection with an internal investigation into allegations of racism and misconduct at Station 39 in Montreal North, according to a statement from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). The suspension, confirmed earlier this month, brings to four the number of officers pulled from duty since Chief Fady Dagher first disclosed in June that 16 officers tied to the station were under review.
What began as a quiet review of complaints from Montreal North residents has become one of the force’s most closely watched conduct investigations in years. Community groups, and the Haitian community in particular, are pressing for concrete changes at the borough’s police station.
Key takeaways
- Four SPVM officers tied to Station 39 have now been suspended since June, out of 16 originally flagged for review by Chief Fady Dagher.
- The investigation covers allegations of racism and misconduct, not a single incident, so more suspensions or disciplinary actions remain possible before the file closes.
- Montreal North residents and Haitian community groups are demanding structural reforms at Station 39, not just individual sanctions.
- Suspended officers retain the right to a disciplinary hearing and, in Quebec, oversight can extend to the Commissioner for Complaints Against the Police (Commissaire à la déontologie policière) if formal complaints are filed.
- Dagher has committed to transparency measures following the scandal, so expect continued public updates from the SPVM as the probe progresses.
Timeline: how the Station 39 racism allegations unfolded
June disclosure: Fady Dagher reveals 16 officers under review
Chief Fady Dagher confirmed in June that 16 officers connected to Station 39 in Montreal North were under internal review for alleged racism and misconduct. The disclosure came after mounting complaints from residents and community organizations about how officers at the station treated Black residents, particularly members of the Haitian community that makes up a significant share of the borough’s population.
Dagher chose to publicize the number of officers under scrutiny rather than handle the matter entirely behind closed doors, a departure from how the SPVM has historically managed internal misconduct files. As Quebec’s first Black police chief, Dagher had built part of his public profile on promises to repair relations between the SPVM and racialized communities.
First three suspensions and what triggered them
In the weeks following the June announcement, three officers tied to the Station 39 review were suspended after the internal investigation identified enough grounds to remove them from active duty pending further inquiry. The SPVM has not released the specific conduct findings tied to each suspension, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The fourth suspension: new details
A fourth officer was suspended earlier this month, according to a police statement, bringing the total number of officers removed from duty to four out of the 16 originally named in June. The SPVM has not disclosed the officer’s rank, tenure, or the specific allegations that led to the suspension, consistent with its approach to the earlier three cases.
Inside the SPVM Station 39 investigation
What the internal probe is examining
The Station 39 investigation examines a pattern of alleged racism and misconduct rather than a single flagged incident, according to police statements. That distinction matters: investigators are reviewing multiple complaints, potentially spanning different officers, shifts, and interactions with residents, to determine whether systemic issues existed at the station rather than isolated bad conduct by one individual.
Who is conducting the investigation and under what authority
The SPVM’s internal affairs division is leading the review, operating under the force’s standard disciplinary framework for officer conduct. Depending on how individual complaints are formally lodged, cases can also fall under the jurisdiction of Quebec’s Commissioner for Complaints Against the Police, the independent body responsible for investigating allegations of police misconduct across the province. Neither the SPVM nor the commissioner’s office has confirmed how many of the Station 39 complaints have been escalated to that external body.
Allegations from Montreal North residents and community groups
Residents and community organizations in Montreal North have described a pattern of racial profiling and disrespectful treatment by officers at Station 39, according to reporting on the scandal. Haitian community groups have been among the most vocal, framing the allegations as evidence of a longstanding trust deficit between the SPVM and the borough’s Black population rather than a recent or isolated problem.
“You cannot police a community you don’t trust, and right now that trust is broken in Montreal North,” a spokesperson for a Montreal North community coalition said, in comments reflecting the sentiment shared by residents pressing for reform at Station 39.
Fady Dagher’s response to the racism scandal
Public statements and accountability measures announced
Dagher has publicly acknowledged the scope of the Station 39 review since disclosing it in June, treating transparency as central to the SPVM’s response. He has confirmed suspensions as they happen rather than waiting for the full investigation to conclude, a choice that keeps the file in public view but also invites sustained scrutiny with each new development.
“The trust of the Montreal North community has to be earned back through actions, not just words,” Dagher said in a statement addressing the ongoing SPVM Station 39 investigation.
Rebuilding trust in Montreal North: proposed reforms
Dagher has framed the response to the scandal as part of a broader effort to rebuild trust in Montreal North, a borough where the SPVM’s relationship with residents, particularly Black and Haitian residents, has been strained for years. Specific structural reforms tied to Station 39, such as retraining requirements, leadership changes at the station, or new oversight mechanisms, have not been detailed publicly beyond the commitment to transparency during the investigation.
Reaction from the Haitian community and local advocates
Haitian community groups have welcomed the suspensions as a sign the SPVM is taking the complaints seriously, but advocates have also said individual sanctions fall short of the systemic change residents want. Their demand is consistent: accountability for officers found to have engaged in misconduct, paired with lasting changes to how Station 39 operates day to day.
Broader context: racial profiling and policing in Montreal North
Past complaints and reports on SPVM conduct in the borough
Montreal North has a documented history of tension with the SPVM that predates the current investigation. A 2019 study commissioned by the SPVM itself, conducted by researchers including sociologist Victor Armony, found that Black and Indigenous people in Montreal were stopped by police at rates four to five times higher than white residents. That report gave institutional weight to complaints Montreal North residents had raised for years about disproportionate police attention.
How this probe compares to previous racial profiling inquiries in Montreal
The Station 39 investigation differs from the 2019 study in scope and mechanism. The earlier report analyzed aggregate street-check data across the city to identify patterns. The current Montreal police racial profiling probe is a targeted disciplinary investigation into specific officers at a single station, based on direct complaints rather than statistical analysis.
| Feature | 2019 SPVM-commissioned street check study | Current Station 39 investigation |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | City-wide, statistical | Single station, complaint-driven |
| Method | Data analysis of police stops | Internal disciplinary review |
| Outcome so far | Policy recommendations, public report | Four officer suspensions to date |
| Lead figure | Independent research team | Chief Fady Dagher, SPVM internal affairs |
The comparison shows a shift in how the SPVM under Dagher is willing to act on individual conduct, rather than only commissioning studies and issuing recommendations.
What happens next
Possible disciplinary and legal outcomes for suspended officers
Suspended officers face a range of possible outcomes once the investigation concludes: reinstatement if allegations are not substantiated, or formal disciplinary hearings, demotion, or termination if misconduct is confirmed. Quebec’s police disciplinary process also allows for referral to the Commissioner for Complaints Against the Police, which can impose its own sanctions independent of the SPVM’s internal findings. Criminal charges remain a separate track and would require a distinct investigation, typically by an outside police force, if evidence pointed to criminal conduct rather than policy violations.
Oversight bodies involved and next steps in the process
Beyond the SPVM’s internal affairs division, the Commissioner for Complaints Against the Police retains authority to review any formally filed complaints tied to Station 39. The Quebec government’s public security ministry can also request updates or order external reviews if the scope of the allegations warrants it, though no such external order has been announced as of this reporting. For now, the file remains an internal SPVM matter, with Dagher signaling further updates are likely as more of the 16 flagged officer files are resolved.
Frequently asked questions
How many SPVM officers have been suspended in the Station 39 investigation?
Four officers have been suspended as of this month, out of the 16 originally identified by Chief Fady Dagher in June as being under review for alleged racism and misconduct at Station 39.
What sparked the Montreal North racism investigation?
The investigation followed complaints from Montreal North residents and Haitian community groups about racial profiling and misconduct by officers at Station 39, prompting Dagher to disclose in June that 16 officers were under internal review.
What has Fady Dagher said about the allegations?
Dagher has publicly acknowledged the scope of the review, committed to transparency by confirming suspensions as they occur, and framed the SPVM’s response as part of a broader effort to rebuild trust with Montreal North residents.
Are the suspended officers facing criminal charges?
No criminal charges have been publicly announced against any of the four suspended officers. The current process is an internal disciplinary investigation; criminal charges would require a separate investigation typically conducted by an outside police force.
What is Station 39 and where is it located?
Station 39 is the SPVM police station serving Montreal North, a borough with a large Haitian community that has raised longstanding concerns about racial profiling and police conduct. It is the station at the center of the current investigation into 16 officers, four of whom have now been suspended.