MONTREAL -- The Montreal Police (SPVM) is holding a recruitment day for citizens of cultural communities on Saturday, a few months after being blamed in a damning report alleging 'systemic discrimination' including Blacks, Indigenous people and Arabs perpetrated by members of the metropolitan police.
The recruiting event titled 'Diversité en uniforme' is in its second year, and took place in a community center in the Saint-Michel district, on the occasion of Black History Month.
According to a press release from the SPVM, the activity would aim to "promote and encourage local hiring for the population from cultural and diverse communities and to make the positions available to the general public."
The police force added that it wanted to "do everything in its power" so that its police officers and other employees are more like the Montreal population.
The day was organized by the SPVM and the Montreal Fire Safety Service (SIM), but also brought together representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canadian Armed Forces, the Canada Border Services Agency, the Sureté du Québec, Correctional Service Canada, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian National Police Service, Via Rail Police Service and Urgences-santé.
A report commissioned by the City of Montreal from independent researchers revealed in early October that Indigenous people, blacks and young Arabs were between four and five times more likely to be arrested by police than whites.
As soon as the report was published, the director of the SPVM, Sylvain Caron, promised concrete and rapid actions to correct the situation. In December 2018, the police chief admitted that there was "perhaps" racial profiling among his officers.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 15, 2020.
