Dardia Joseph was appalled when she first learned of the troubling allegations of racism by police in Montreal North last week, but she can’t say she was surprised.
As a lawyer who specializes in racial profiling cases, Joseph has long believed the problem was festering within the police station in question.
She is now among those who have signed a letter to Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette urging her to call a public inquiry into the issue, arguing the allegations aren’t an isolated case.
“A public inquiry would provide the independence and transparency needed to get to the root of the problem,” said Joseph, the assistant director of the Clinique juridique de St-Michel.
Dardia Joseph, a lawyer specializing in racial profiling cases, is among those who have signed a letter to Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette urging her to call a public inquiry into allegations of racism by police in Montreal North. Allen McInnis / Montreal Gazette
Police Chief Fady Dagher announced last Friday that an internal investigation has been launched into claims that officers on a Montreal North patrol team were targeting Black and Arab citizens.
Two officers from the team have been suspended, 14 others have been reassigned or relocated, and one file has been referred to Quebec prosecutors.
Some officers are alleged to have made racist remarks and, according to media reports, members of the police team allegedly collected pieces of locs to keep as trophies from people they apprehended.
The letter to Fréchette, sent on Thursday, was signed by the legal clinic and leading civil rights organizations.
It argues it has long been documented that Black, Indigenous and Arab communities have been disproportionately targeted by Montreal police and an inquiry is needed to shed light on the extent of the problem.
“A public inquiry commission is the only mechanism that would address the current breakdown of trust among the entire population toward the police,” the letter states.
Quebec has already announced it will name an independent observer to oversee the police investigation into the officers’ conduct, but Fréchette has not committed to a public inquiry.
During a news conference Friday, Fréchette told reporters she would prefer to see the investigation’s results before deciding the next step.
“All possibilities are on the table, but for now, we’ll wait for the investigation’s findings,” Fréchette said, describing the alleged actions as unacceptable.
Demonstrators protest allegations of police racism outside Station 39 in Montreal North on Monday, June 15, 2026. John Mahoney / Montreal Gazette
While the allegations have sent shock waves across Montreal North and the city at large, they are also having repercussions within the police force itself.
The internal police investigation was launched after officers came forward with information about the alleged conduct.
Following last week’s revelations, an association representing Black employees within the police force penned a letter to management raising concerns about working conditions.
The letter, signed June 14, says members have already learned of attempts to identify whistleblowers within the department. It calls on management to add measures to protect those co-operating with investigators.
“When speaking out and taking a stand become risky, it becomes necessary to strengthen protective mechanisms,” the letter states, noting some officers fear repercussions, or even going into work.
Members of the public were supposed to have the opportunity to ask the police department questions next Monday during a public review of its 2025 annual report conducted by the city’s public security commission.
The city first announced the review on June 10, then said Thursday it has been postponed.
On Friday, a spokesperson for the mayor’s office said the commission decided to instead hold a closed-door meeting with the police chief on Monday “in order to facilitate an in-depth discussion regarding the circumstances that led to the disbandment of a team at (Station) 39.”
The review takes place each year and is one of the few forums in which the public has the opportunity to question the police chief directly. The mayor’s office said the public review of the annual report will take place at a later date.
Asked about the change, the Montreal police department said Dagher has held news conferences and met with community groups since the allegations surfaced “to address the concerns expressed by citizens and to ensure an open dialogue.”
Editor’s Picks
Joseph, the lawyer, said it isn’t lost on anyone that — despite years of residents warning about incidents of racial profiling — it took police officers speaking out for the department to act.
She said the last-minute decision to move the meeting behind closed doors does little to help the deep sense of mistrust present in the community.
“We all have more questions than answers right now,” Joseph said. “And we’re all waiting for those answers.”