Montreal police chief Fady Dagher says he wants to rebuild trust in the Montreal North community following a public meeting Tuesday that addressed allegations of racism within the police unit. “It’s going to take time, and it’s going to be difficult, but let’s start the dialogue, one step at a time; we can rebuild the trust,” Dagher told CTV News. “A change of culture takes years and years; I want to be part of that start.” On June 12, Dagher announced at a late-night news conference that 16 police officers from Station 39 in Montreal North were under investigation, while two were suspended for allegations of racial misconduct toward people they stopped while on duty. Dagher revealed Tuesday that a third officer had been suspended during a public meeting with the city’s public security commission at city hall. Dozens of community members attended to hear Dagher address the allegations. “I felt the mistrust, the fear, especially when some mothers talked about their kids being scared of police; that really hurt me because as a chief, as a police department,” Dagher said. “I want my police and the community to be together, especially the kids to trust the police.” One of the allegations is that officers cut the hair of racialized citizens and kept it as trophies. Dagher told CTV News that he had experienced racial profiling himself, both as a victim and a perpetrator. He said learning about some of the allegations at the police unit was a “nightmare” and described it as “pure racism.” “I didn’t expect to see this behavior happening in the police department, not even between two citizens,” he said. “You can’t touch the hair, especially in the Black community, in the culture of the Afro community. I come from Ivory Coast. I was raised and born in West Africa. This is something we are very proud of — our hair. You don’t touch that. So it’s a very deep, deep, deep pain that the community (feels), if it’s true. I deeply understand.” Dagher said he will work with the community a concrete plan of action, which is expected to be released in November. “If I have to get to the roots of what happened, trust me, I have no pity. I’m going to go to the roots and tear those roots and make sure it never happens again.” With files from CTV News’ Maya Johnson and Genevieve Beauchemin
