A police officer from the SPVM blamed by the ethics Committee

Antoine Lacroix

Saturday, October 7, 2017 08:00

UPDATE
Saturday, October 7, 2017 08:00

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A police officer in montreal has been blamed for its “lack of judgment” by its ethics Committee, because he went to complain to the supervisor, a security officer of his attitude at the time to give him a statement of offence.

The 4 February 2016, the officer of the Service de police de la ville de Montréal (SPVM) Éric Locas, who has 23 years of experience, intercepts the security agent of the Cégep Ahuntsic Rivelino Bélizaire, because the latter had not crossed the street at an intersection.

Depending on the version of the police officer, Mr. Bélizaire seems to not appreciate receiving a fine. To the delivery of the report, the police officer Locas says that the security officer was treated for “dammit fool”.

The security agent denies having said this. The Committee indicates in its decision are not able to establish whether this is true or false.

“Inappropriate and inconcevante”

But it has however been established that the next day, the police officer Locas decides to go meet with the supervisor of the security agent to inform him that Mr. Belizaire has not acted properly in its place.

“This meeting with the supervisor [Rivelino] Bélizaire was inappropriate and unseemly and it shows a lack of judgment on the part of the agent [Eric] Locas,” says the ethics committee, who adds that the reaction was “greatly exaggerated, or even moved, and could have severe consequences for Mr. Belizaire”.

“After the visit of the police officer, Mr. Belizaire said he felt uncomfortable in his work environment. He had to respond to questions from managers and colleagues to this subject for several months,” one can also read in the decision, that date of the 30th August last.

The police ethics committee has ruled that the agent Locas had “not behaved in a manner that will preserve the confidence and consideration that require its functions in respect of

Mr. Belizaire, going to meet with his supervisor for improper”, because he “is a private event between a police officer and a citizen”.

Éric Locas will be back in front of the ethics Committee for its sanction on the 6th of November next.

Fourth time

This is the fourth time that the police of the SPVM is to be found in the ethics committee.

In 2015, he had been suspended five days without pay for abuse of authority after having been threatening to a citizen for which he was inspecting the bike.

The previous year, he had also been sentenced to three days of suspension without pay for abusing his authority and being rude to a motorist.