Montreal police chief Sylvain Caron to retire early

Montreal police chief Sylvain Caron is announcing his retirement ahead of schedule, a source has confirmed to CTV News. 

Caron’s five-year mandate was intended to last until December 2023.

He was appointed to the position in 2018 at the recommendation of interim chief Martin Prud’Homme.

Caron was with the Sorel-Tracy police force for 21 years, including 15 years as police chief. He also served as the former assistant director of the SQ before joining the SPVM. 

Caron has led the Montreal police during a tumultuous period, facing a rise of gun violence and the COVID-19 pandemic bringing on new regulations.

Caron and the force came under fire in January 2021 after mistakenly arresting Mamadi Camara for attempted murder. Camara received a facial injury during his arrest and was kept in custody for six days before he was released and all charges were dropped against him.

Caron met with Camara and his family to apologize on behalf of the SPVM.

Camara sued the City of Montreal and the Attorney General of Quebec for misconduct and a settlement was reached in late February.

Caron and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will hold a press conference at city hall Tuesday morning to make “an important announcement […] regarding public safety,” according to a press release.

In a statement, city hall’s official opposition said Caron’s early departure exemplifies the Plante administration’s “[failure] to maintain good communications and relationships with its police service.”

Opposition leader Aref Salem listed various changes to the SPVM that occurred in the last year, including “the refusal to hire the promised 250 new police officers, the surprise elimination of neighbourhood stations, the shifting positions on the body camera project, the definition of the SPVM, and the fact that the police are on the verge of collapse.”

“The fact that Mr. Caron is jumping ship at a time when the city is in the midst of a major violence crisis is a major concern to Montrealers,” he added.

The Montreal police union gave their best wishes to Caron on Twitter Monday afternoon.

“The Brotherhood salutes Mr. Caron’s contribution to the SPVM, in particular to its stability in troubled times, as well as the spirit of collaboration he has shown. He was present at a pivotal moment,” reads a Tweet from the Fraternité des policiers et policières de Montréal.