At least 71 Quebec police officers were slapped on the knuckles for non-compliance with health measures, while peace officers were at several times responsible for enforcing them.
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“It is ironical. It’s a bit like saying: do what I say, but not what I do,” comments retired police officer François Doré.
In Terrebonne, 28 police officers received an administrative notice arising from three situations that occurred outside of their work, while this small police force has only about 220.
In Longueuil, at least 21 police officers have been disciplined for a similar reason since the start of the pandemic.
Prohibited gatherings
In Gatineau, 10 police officers were sanctioned, including 8 in connection with a rally.
How to explain that they were punished for events that occurred outside of work?
“They have to kind of serve as a role model. You cannot undo with your left hand what your right hand does”, image François Doré.
“At the same time, they are humans too,” he recalls.
At the height of the health crisis, the police had the role of giving tickets to citizens who gathered in too large numbers or who defied the curfew.
However, at least 71 of them have been warned, punished, or have been the subject of an internal investigation in connection with health measures, according to data obtained by The newspaper with all police forces.
The figures are not exhaustive, however, since large police forces such as the Sûreté du Québec and the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal have not provided theirs.
Some plotters
Some cases of police officers who have displayed their conspiratorial beliefs have also been publicized, such as that of ex-agent Maxime Ouimet.
He had embarrassed the Laval police with his publications, before resigning in October 2020. He was also found guilty of harassment of a journalist.
Three agents of the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) were also transferred to administrative tasks after taking part in a meeting of followers of the conspiracy movement in December 2021, published The newspaper this winter.
They have since returned to their original functions, says the SQ.