New Montreal police chief expects cuts to police force

MONTREAL – Montreal’s new police chief Philippe Pichet told Global News the city will “have to cut some police officers.”He said police departments across North America are facing serious budgetary constraints.“Costs are going up. Criminality is going down, even if the criminality is more complex. That’s a challenge,” he told Senior Anchor Jamie Orchard.“That’s why I want to look at the optimization of our human resources.”Pichet replaced Marc Parent, who stepped down after five years as police chief and a total of 31 years of service.WATCH: Police chief Philippe Pichet on racial profilingParent had been the first officer to recognize that racial profiling exists in the Montreal police force.Pichet said he recognizes that profiling can happen and Montreal police must continue to collaborate with communities in order to address the issue.