Trial Normandeau: the working climate is “rotten” to the UPAC denounces an ex-police officer

Archival Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin
Richard Despatie has not been tender with the commissioner of UPAC, Robert Lafreniere (photo), who has hired “his buddies” following “contest stacked”, he said in sermet.

Jean-Luc Lavallée

Thursday, 1 February 2018 11:59

UPDATE
Thursday, 1 February 2018 12:52

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The work climate “rotten” to the UPAC would not be foreign to many leaks of survey items in the media, according to the ex-policeman Richard Despatie, who denies personally any involvement.

• READ ALSO : Leaks to media: a police officer of UPAC proclaimed his innocence

“It’s leaking everywhere !”, he launched during his testimony in the morning at the trial of Nathalie Normandeau, and Marc-Yvan Côté, Thursday, in the framework of the hearing of the motion of the defence in the proceedings to be stayed.

As the liberal mna Guy Ouellette and the investigator Stéphane Bonhomme, M. Despatie is suspected by the UPAC to have leaked information to the press. His home has also been the subject of a search last October 25.

“A half-hour later, the journalists were in front of us. It is not me who called the journalists to come to our home to film my house… I have absolutely nothing to reproach me,” he said.

Obviously bitter, Mr. Despatie had much to say against her former employer who was terminated unjustly, according to him, in July 2016. Since then, he has “the bat” for the challenge. “It is a revenge of Mr. Pelletier (a senior) my dismissal. We will prove it in arbitration”, has he dropped.

“I have never talked to (Louis) Lacroix (Cogeco and The News). What I saw, I don’t believe my eyes”. He said he had “no idea” of the identity of the famous “Stone,” which has contacted the reporter to offer him the evidence of police in the folder of Nathalie Normandeau. “If they had been vigilant, they would have made the cell towers. It is a lax investigation”, he let go.

Lafrenière hiring “his buddies”

Mr. Despatie has not been tender with the commissioner of UPAC, Robert Lafreniere, who has hired “his buddies” following “contest stacked”, he said in sermet. Appalled to hear Mr. Lafrenière say to the parliamentarians that “all is well” at UPAC, he admits, will be entrusted to the deputy Ouellette.

“It is a lie continually ( … ), The atmosphere is pourrite (sic). It is necessary that you know that in 2016, the three unions at the UPAC – the professionals, the civil servants and police officers have met with the labour relations of the Sûreté du Québec and told them : “It doesn’t work.” Four secretaries in six have left. All those who have filed a complaint for psychological harassment have confidentiality agreements. I have been fighting to have the report.”

Mr. Despatie was an analyst-investigator at the Centre of management of reports when he was relieved of his duties. He has also worked within the squad Wolverine between 1995 and 2001.