The Act Was Degrading, and It Was Reported by Those Who Saw It

There are moments when the uniform is meant to carry the weight of public trust, a visible promise that those who wear it will protect rather than diminish. In Montreal this week, that promise was tested by allegations that cut to the very core of human dignity—acts so degrading that fellow officers felt compelled to speak.

Montreal police have suspended two officers from Station 21, which covers downtown, following a report in La Presse detailing alleged misconduct. One officer is accused of urinating on a person experiencing homelessness while on duty. The other allegedly posed for photos mocking a suspect placed in a humiliating position during an arrest . The allegations were reportedly brought forward by colleagues who were disgusted by what they witnessed .

The Service de police de la Ville de Montréal confirmed the suspensions and said its professional standards division has opened an internal investigation. “Be assured that the SPVM takes any allegation against one of its members seriously,” police said in a statement. “Regardless of the nature of an internal investigation, we are determined to get to the bottom of things and take the required actions” . The officers have not yet formally presented a defence.

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada responded online, calling the alleged acts “very serious” and saying they “violate the dignity to which everyone is entitled.” She also commended the officers who came forward to report the behaviour . The Montreal police brotherhood described the allegations as “shocking” and said it “firmly condemns” any behaviour that violates human dignity .

The allegations surfaced just hours before La Nuit des sans-abri, an annual march held across Quebec to raise awareness about homelessness. Annie Savage, executive director of the advocacy group RAPSIM, said she was “extremely shocked” but not surprised. “It’s hard to imagine a more degrading or violent act,” she told Radio-Canada . She warned that police should not treat the incident as an isolated case, citing a June report that found 40 percent of unhoused individuals surveyed felt heavily ticketed or targeted, while 66 percent reported rarely or never being treated like other members of the public .

The suspensions come as Montreal police attempt to rebuild trust after the disbanding of a 16-member patrol unit at Station 39 in Montréal-Nord due to separate allegations of racism and misconduct . Alain Babineau, a former RCMP officer now with the Red Coalition, said he was not surprised. “We all knew Station 39 was not an anomaly,” he said. “How do you rebuild trust when your officers are rogue?” . The investigation into the Station 21 allegations continues, and the question of what comes next rests with the professional standards unit.

AI Image Disclaimer: The accompanying visual is AI-generated and does not depict the actual individuals or events involved.

Sources: The Canadian Press, CBC News, La Presse, Montreal Gazette, Radio-Canada