SPVM needs stability, continuity, Caron says
The man expected to be Montreal’s next police chief admits he has a lot of work ahead in order to straighten out the troubled force, but feels confident he’s the right person to do it.
Sylvain Caron, a former assistant director of the Sûreté du Québec, made his first public appearance Friday since being chosen by the city’s selection committee to head the SPVM.
It came during a hearing before Montreal’s public security committee, where he presented his vision for the future of the SPVM, and, in a first for the city, answered questions directly from citizens.
Caron, 57, said he wants to lead a police force that’s representative of the people it serves and is “open to the city of Montreal’s remarkable diversity.”
He said a restructured SPVM under his leadership would be more professional, transparent, ethical and efficient at managing its budget and resources.
Social issues he named as top priorities included the force’s relations with Indigenous communities, racial profiling, homelessness and mental health, and sexual exploitation.
Asked why he’s the right person for the job — and if he still has the needed “fire” to take on the challenge after a 37-year police career — Caron answered without hesitating.
“I’ll answer with one word: passion,” he said. “I love the work I do.”
Caron was one of two candidates recommended by interim chief Martin Prud’homme in a report on his efforts to reshape the force and improve its image during the last year.
Prud’homme was given the mandate last December after a damning report revealed deep-seated problems within the force and led to then-chief Philippe Pichet’s suspension. Caron was one of two deputies from outside the SPVM to assist Prud’homme with the task.
The city’s selection committee met with both candidates on Tuesday and chose to recommend Caron the next day.
Caron’s nomination will still need to pass through several steps. The public security committee recommended his nomination following Friday’s hearing, and it will now need to be approved by Montreal city council. By law, it will then need to be approved by Quebec’s public security minister.
The city said it decided to open Friday’s hearing to the public out of transparency. A dozen or so citizens attended with prepared questions.
Caron faced questions about fatal police interventions in Montreal, how he plans on improving the public’s confidence in the force, cyclists and pedestrian deaths, the use of Tasers and body cameras, and how the SPVM will handle large protests under his leadership.
Asked about recent letters made public claiming the SPVM didn’t follow protocol during police interventions investigated by Quebec’s Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes, Caron said he believes officers “acted in good faith” in the incidents described.
He reiterated the SPVM has changed its policy since receiving the letters, said it won’t happen again, and said he’s open to the idea of holding public consultations on the force’s intervention methods.
He also said he’ll consider making police officer disciplinary hearings open to the public, a practice he said is already done in other forces in Quebec.
Caron expects his contract to be for five years, as was recommended by Prud’homme in his report.
What the SPVM needs most right now is stability and continuity, he said, and he’ll make it a priority of his to improve how it grooms its own members to ensure future police chiefs come from within.
As for the “internal clans” that reportedly led to the SPVM’s troubles, Caron said the work climate has largely improved in the last year.
“It’s still fragile, but we’re moving forward,” he said. “The page is turning.”