Montreal Police Chief admits to past racial profiling

Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher has stated that he has experienced racial profiling both as a victim and as a perpetrator. Dagher admitted in an interview that he racially profiled individuals while working with the Montreal police anti-gang squad during the 1990s, noting that a conversation with a street-gang member eventually changed his perspective.

Dagher, who was born in Ivory Coast to parents of Lebanese origin, is the first racialized person to lead the Montreal police. He also reported being a victim of racial profiling at airports both in Canada and abroad following the September 11 terrorist attacks.

These admissions follow a public meeting where residents questioned the chief regarding a racism and misconduct scandal at a local station. The controversy led to the dismantling of a 16-member patrol unit at the Montréal-Nord station in June, resulting in the suspension of three officers. Dagher clarified that the suspensions were related to two separate incidents involving two different complainants.