A widow calls for more help for the police

Photos courtesy and archives, QMI Agency
Agent Alexander Dubois was on leave, deferred for a period of eight months. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminology, in particular for mounting in the ranks of the SQ. His body was found on July 24 at the park Valéro, in Lévis.

Catherine Bouchard

Thursday, 17 August, 2017 00:00

UPDATE
Thursday, 17 August, 2017 00:00

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The joint grieving of a police officer who has recently ended his days calling for a better support for agents who live in a situation of distress and also insists that they do not hesitate to ask for help.

Nadia Malenfant is the spouse of Alexander Dubois, who worked for the Sûreté du Québec for 20 years and was a patrolman in the station road area of St-Nicolas, Lévis.

In deep distress, the 42-year-old had taken his own life with his service weapon on July 24 at the park Valéro, in Lévis.

Ms. Malenfant says that her partner, who kept the scars of the interventions made during his career – has actually sunk due to a dispute with a person to whom he had given a typical ticket of $ 100 in April 2016. Apparently, the police officer made a mistake on the direction of the motorist intercepted in the report that he had filed. “The guy wanted revenge quite free,” she continued.

Police ethics

Although the individual has been convicted of his offense, he lodged a complaint in police ethics. Wiping a refusal, the man refused to let go. “He therefore complained to the director general of the Sûreté du Québec for forgery or perjury, which automatically leads to an internal investigation. “

However, for the policeman, who had a career without flaw, it was inconceivable to have committed such an error. “He could not believe it. He repeated without ceasing “, laments Ms. Malenfant.

Everything got here on the 12th of July last, when his superiors informed of the accusations of perjury leveled against him. “The police are there to protect and help. They deserve the same chance as a normal citizen. The SQ would have had the support, but they are treated as criminals and are almost rejected, ” she continued.

He saw no solutions

On Monday 24 July, the day on which Alexander has committed the irreparable, he had to go take cognizance of the charges filed against him. “It is a paper quite hard to read. He was going to return his weapon and return home, ” says the wife.

The Friday just before, the police officer went to empty the heart to his deputy and took his weapon. Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the officer Dubois did not see solutions. “He said that if it went to court, accused or not, his face was going to be in the newspapers, and we were going to be dirty,” says the wife.

Need help for you or a loved one ?

• Quebec line in suicide prevention : 1 866 CALLS (277-3553)
• Centre for suicide prevention in Quebec : cpsquebec.ca
• Association québécoise de prévention du suicide : aqps.info

Sequence black for the forces of law and order

Since may 1, the Quebec, five policemen have put an end to their days, and another tried the irreparable, which left him with serious sequelae.

• ON THE SAME SUBJECT: A policewoman from Montreal takes his life in a neighborhood post

The most recent event occurred Wednesday in a police station in the district of Anjou, in Montreal. A female police officer has ended his days with his service weapon (see another text).

It is a bad sequence that affects a lot Jacques Denis Simard, director general of the House, The Vigil, a support centre for stakeholders in emergency distress.

The former police officer will never say it enough : you should not hesitate to ask for help. The case of Alexandre Dubois is, according to him, an accumulation of a lot of fatigue.

“This story of a contravention is likely not the only element that he lived, said Mr. Simard. He worked a lot, he was very brave, and there is a certain fatigue related to it. When you give statements of offence, often you are badly received by the people. “

Signals of distress

According to Lucie Pelchat, of the Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS), the signals of distress can be different for men – they are less associated with thoughts of suicide, but are still noticeable.

“There is more anger, irritability and impatience, she said. There may also be overinvestment in the work, ” she noted.

The example of Montreal

All police services should, according to Ms. Pelchat, have a program for employees.

She cites the example of the Montreal police Department, where the implementation of a program has resulted in a decrease of 79 % of suicides among its members.