Montreal police chief says he has experienced racial profiling from both sides

Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher has revealed that he has experienced racial profiling from both sides, acknowledging instances where he was a victim and admitting to having been a perpetrator.

In an interview, Dagher confessed to racially profiling people during his time with the Montreal police anti-gang squad in the 1990s. He explained that a pivotal conversation with a street-gang member opened his eyes and prompted a significant shift in his methods and perspective.

Dagher also shared that he was on the receiving end of racial profiling following the September 11 terrorist attacks. These experiences included instances while traveling through airports both within Canada and internationally.

Born in Ivory Coast to parents of Lebanese origin, Dagher is the first racialized person to lead the Montreal police force. His comments came shortly after a public meeting where he faced intense questioning from residents regarding a racism and misconduct scandal at a local police station. This scandal led to the dismantling of a 16-member patrol unit at the Montréal-Nord station in June, with three officers suspended in connection with two separate incidents involving two complainants.