Montreal’s new police chief was officially sworn in Thursday afternoon, at a signing ceremony at the Bonsecours Market.
Bagpipers led the procession into the large hall, followed by city officials, Mayor Valérie Plante, Public Security Minister François Bornnadel and Fady Dagher — the SPVM’s 42nd police chief.
Dagher, with heritage from Lebanon and the Ivory Coast, is the department’s first-ever visible minority to hold the top job.
He was previously head of the Longueuil police force on Montreal’s south shore, and is known for his community-based approach to policing.
His appointment as director of the SPVM, announced in November 2022, was well received by community groups who have been pushing for change within the police department, especially in its relations with racialized and minority communities.
During his inaugural speech, Dagher talked about the importance of rebuilding trust with the public and working hand-in-hand with communities that reflect the diversity of the city.
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He cautioned, however, that it’s something that will take time and asked for patience.
Dagher also specified that community policing doesn’t mean he won’t be tough on crime.
“We have to find the right balance. Sometimes we have to get closer and closer and sometimes we have to be tough on target,” he said.
“So, for me it’s not one or the other one. It’s plus one and the other one. Both can work extremely well.”
Dagher’s top priority, however, is to recruit new officers and retain existing ones.
“To attract them is one thing,” he said. “But we’ve been losing so many, so we have to find a way to keep them inside the force.”
In August, the province announced a $225-million investment to allow the hiring of 450 Montreal police officers over the next five years, in a bid to combat the city’s rising gun violence. An additional $25 million was earmarked to fund social intervention teams.
Dagher admits finding new officers won’t be easy, but he’s planning a major recruitment campaign in the near future.
— with files from Global News’ Tim Sargeant and Alessia Maratta