Allison Hanes: Many challenges await Montreal’s next police chief

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Sixteen seems to be a dangerous age for Montrealers, as youth violence continues to mark this once safe city.

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A 16-year-old boy was found with gunshot wounds on Ahuntsic Monday night. He was transported to a hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life threatening.

This time Montreal will mercifully be spared the grief of another adolescent succumbing to this scourge. But the shooting rubs raw the pain affected by the recent untimely deaths of: Meriem Boundaoui, 15, who was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of a vehicle in St-Léonard over a year ago; Jannai Dopwell-Bailey, 16, who was stabbed near his Côte-des-Neiges school in October; Thomas Trudel, 16, who was gunned down walking home from the park one Sunday in St-Michel in November; Amir Benayad, 17, who was shot in front of a playground on the Plateau-Mont-Royal in January; and Lucas Gaudet, 16, who was stabbed outside a high school in Beaconsfield this February.

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The latest shooting serves as a telling backdrop of what’s at stake as Montreal searches for a new police chief. It is also a reminder of the formidable challenges the next boss of the Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal will face.

Sylvain Caron’s last day on the job is Friday after deciding to take early retirement. Sophie Roy, one of his deputies, is expected to be confirmed as the interim chief, pending a search for a permanent replacement, thereby becoming the first woman ever to occupy the role.

Besides quelling violence among youth and cracking down on the proliferation of illegal guns, the next leader must regain the confidence of the public in an increasingly tense social context. The role of law enforcement is under the microscope and frayed relations with Montrealers of diverse racial backgrounds are in need of repair. Meanwhile, city hall is articulating new expectations for the SPVM.

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Mayor Valérie Plante announced Tuesday that the hiring process has been suspended to allow time to hold consultations on the qualities Montrealers are seeking in the next top cop — and even more importantly, weigh in on the development of a new policing model.

The idea of ​​allowing input from the public, community groups, police and public security experts emerged from a recent forum on youth violence, most of which was held behind closed doors. But the administration’s decision to follow through sends a powerful signal that it is seeking to steer the SPVM in a new direction — and that the next leader better be prepared to go along.

Like other cities, Montreal is at a crossroads. The bystander video of the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police shone the light anew on decades of grievances about racial profiling and double standards in law enforcement locally, spurring calls to defund the police and divert resources to address the underlying causes of crime, like marginalization, exclusion and poverty.

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The city has also created a new administrative role within Montreal’s civil service dedicated to urban security. The assistant general manager will be charged with aligning the work of police, fire and legal affairs to carry out their mandates in a more consistent manner. This suggests the new chief could face increased scrutiny and greater accountability.

Given the troubled history of Montreal police in the last decade, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A string of chiefs were forced to resign under a cloud or removed from office before Caron was named to the post. Between corruption, internal strife, a spying scandal and repeated allegations of racial profiling, the SPVM was left reeling from several self-inflicted black eyes.

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But under the updated hierarchy, the next chief may have to find a balance between preserving the independence of the force and political priorities. Under Caron’s watch, the SPVM found itself increasingly constrained by the city’s pledges, such as Plante’s moratorium on police station mergers to save money.

The new boss will also have to contend with a demoralized rank and file. La Presse has reported on a wave of departures from the SPVM over the last two years. Exhaustion from the pandemic has taken its toll. But increased mistrust due to strained social relations has led many cops to quit. This is on top of attrition leaving more than 250 posts vacant. The next leader will have to guide officers through a major change in organizational culture while restoring pride.

The next chief will have their work cut out for them regardless. But candidates may want to see if their skills match the job description shaped by the public consultations before applying.

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