Crisis at the SPVM: “It was difficult for the police” – Ian Lafrenière

QMI agency

Wednesday, December 13, 2017 15:48

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Wednesday, December 13, 2017 15:48

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Just back to the head of communications of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), Ian Lafrenière is aware that his organization has a lot of work to do over the next few months.

Whereas the SPVM is at the heart of an unprecedented crisis, Martin Prud’homme, the interim director of the SPVM, has decided to reduce the door-to-speech to his former post, about a year and a half after Mr. Lafrenière had been assigned to other functions.

“I love the contact in daily life. It is not always of the same opinion, but I am committed to being honest, integrity”, he explained on Wednesday to TVA News, while adding that he also had a team at his side, which manages between 20 000 to 30 000 applications annually.

Mr. Lafrenière said that he did not have to be convinced by his superior. “I’m a good soldier, if my organization needs me, I’ll go. But it was obvious that there were points that were important to me, to return in this adventure.”

He hammered several times that it was necessary to demonstrate transparency and honesty. “The chief is at the same point and all the people of the communications team is at the same point also. To be transparent, it doesn’t say what people want to hear, but it is to be honest and say what’s happening,” he insisted.

The last few months have been difficult for the SPVM. Several alleged criminal would have been the subject of investigations and have not been, to persons suspected of misconduct have been the subject of preferential treatment and investigations have been botched.

“We took to our cold. I think it has not been easy. There is no person who could be happy or rejoice in what was happening, it was sad, it was really sad,” said the spokesperson.

However, Ian Lafrenière does not believe that the SPVM will have to completely rebuild his reputation. “The image is there, it is necessary to remove a little dust, need to get back to our focus, to what it was. If we rest in what we must do on a daily basis, not to do things because it seems to be well, but we are going to do it because it should be.”

He adds that, according to him, all the officers have found this very difficult period, not only those of the SPVM. “Nobody has liked what he has seen. It has been difficult for the police with a large “p”.”

The revelations of the show, “J. E.” on the allegations of two former investigators who say that the SPVM has spied upon and that evidence have been tampered with, has shaken Mr. Lafrenière.

“As a police officer, as a human, as a father of a family, when you look at it, it comes to you and “shaker” admitted the spokesman.

Aware that many changes must still be made at the SPVM, Mr. Lafrenière has confidence in his organization. “There will be profound changes,” he said.

“My commitment, I’ve talked to you about honesty, transparency, and even if it is not our business, even if there are things that you don’t like, we will be there to meet them”, concluded the spokesperson.