Quebec public security minister calls for administrative review, expands investigation into Montreal police

Quebec public security minister Martin Coiteux is expanding the criminal investigation into Montreal’s police force and is calling for an administrative review.

This comes after accusations surfaced of fabricated internal evidence in an attempt to silence officers threatening to speak out.

READ MORE: Montreal police accused of fabricating evidence, SQ investigating

Coiteux confirmed Friday that Quebec provincial police were made aware of several other cases of criminal activity within the force.

The RCMP, as well as local forces from Longueuil, Quebec City and Gatineau will aid in the Sûreté du Québec‘s (SQ) ongoing investigation.

He told a news conference this afternoon a separate administrative probe will look specifically at how Montreal police handles internal investigations and how the force operates.

Following the allegations, both the Parti Québécois (PQ) and the Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) called for the province’s bureau of independent investigation (BEI) to look into the allegations.

“The BEI doesn’t look into internal investigations like this one, that’s why the SQ is involved,” said Coderre, addressing Montreal’s executive committee Wednesday morning.

Whistleblowers in the police force

Giovanni Di Feo, along with former colleague Jimmy Cacchione, recently came forward claiming they were forced out of their jobs in 2013 after trying to blow the whistle on corruption in the city’s police department.

READ MORE: Journalist coalition demands federal public inquiry after Quebec police spying scandal

They were suspended without pay in June 2013 following an internal disciplinary investigation, later leaving the force after reaching amicable agreements.

“We had information on the fact that some people were actually fabricating information against other police officers and regular criminals,” Di Feo told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday.

“We had approached our superiors about it and we wrote a letter to internal affairs as well. This was [in 2011 and 2012] – just before we were laid off.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We had approached our superiors about it and we wrote a letter to internal affairs as well. This was [in 2011 and 2012] - just before we were laid off."

Di Feo and Cacchione investigated the Mafia and Hells Angels and were also tasked with two internal probes against police officers suspected of corruption.

The two men alleged members of the force’s internal affairs department embellish or fabricate evidence against lower-ranking officers who fall out of favour.

WATCH: Bombshell corruption allegations against Montreal’s police force. Mike Armstrong reports.

2:15 Bombshell corruption allegations against Montreal’s police force

Spurious investigations were then allegedly launched to obtain phone records and other surveillance warrants in order to intimidate colleagues.

Di Feo said politicians, authorities and the public need to be strong-willed to change what he claimed is a culture of impunity in the Montreal police’s internal affairs department.

Di Feo added he’s skeptical about the provincial police’s mandate to look into the allegations.

“As far as we’re concerned that’s not really the proper way to do it,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "As far as we're concerned that's not really the proper way to do it," he said.

Di Feo said the province’s bureau for independent police investigations would be better placed to conduct the probe.

“It’s all about who is supervising the investigation and who are the investigators,” he said.

“You can send them wherever you want, but if you don’t have a supervisor who knows about investigations and who will go in-depth, you won’t get results.”

WATCH BELOW: Spying on journalists

1:08 La Presse reports police obtained warrant to listen in on journalist’s calls

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• PM Trudeau says no spying on journalists happening at federal level
• Montreal politicians shocked over police probe into journalists
• ‘Immediate measures’ introduced after police probe into Montreal journalists
• NDP demands to know if other journalists are under police surveillance
• Police spy on Montreal journalist
• Montreal police placed journalist Patrick Lagacé’s phone under surveillance for months

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This isn’t the first time Montreal police have been embroiled in controversy.

READ MORE: Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre insists he never asked police to spy on reporter

Last fall, the Quebec government announced it would hold a public inquiry into journalistic sources after allegations surfaced that Montreal police spied on several journalists in an attempt to find out which officers were supposedly speaking to them.

The police apparently searched employee call records to find the journalists’ cellphone numbers.

The Chamberland Commission launched its inquiry Tuesday, hearing from parties interested in obtaining intervenor status before the commission.

READ MORE: Quebec premier announces measures in wake of police monitoring of reporters

Following the allegations police were spying on Quebec journalists, a coalition called on the federal government to hold a public inquiry into the matter.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke out about the allegations at the time, saying nothing of this nature is happening at the federal level.

“Not only is freedom of the press important, it’s one of the foundational safeguards of a free democracy, a free society,” he said.

— with files from The Canadian Press.

rachel.lau@globalnews.ca
Follow @rachel_lau