Former Montreal officer cleared in killing suing ethics commissioner

A former Montreal police officer is seeking $1.1 million in damages from the police ethics commissioner, alleging a significant delay in the investigation into the fatal shooting of Nicholas Gibbs cost him his career and mental well-being. Philippe Bertrand claims the commissioner's five-year delay in rendering a decision on the 2018 incident led to permanent psychological harm and his job loss.

Bertrand shot 23-year-old Gibbs five times in August 2018 after police responded to a street fight. Quebec's independent police watchdog investigated the shooting and cleared Bertrand of wrongdoing in December 2021. Subsequently, the police ethics commissioner rejected the complaint against Bertrand in May 2023.

In a complaint filed at the Montreal courthouse on June 2, Bertrand asserts that the prolonged process by the ethics commissioner, which took five years from the initial complaint to the final decision, was unreasonable. He argues this delay had severe consequences for his professional life and personal health.

Under Quebec's Police Act, ethics commissioners are generally protected from civil liability for actions taken in good faith. However, Bertrand's lawsuit challenges the handling of his case, highlighting the significant personal and professional toll that lengthy investigations can exact, even when the officer is ultimately cleared of misconduct.