Montreal police take steps to be more transparent

Montreal Police Chief Philippe Pichetreleased a 38-point action plan today, aimed at improving citizen confidence in the police serviceand bolstering transparency.

Among the measures it's taking, the SPVMhas hired ThierryPauchant, who holds the chair in ethics management atHEC Montral, to act as aconsultant on ethical issues.

Pichetadmitted that the police service still has a number of issues to work on, but he said "we are better than we were at the beginning [of the year]."

Opposition Projet Montral councillor Alex Norris told CBC following the announcement that the SPVM is taking some positive steps, but that the action plan fails to address the issue of political interference.

"We've seen that Mayor [Denis] Coderre hasn't hesitated to call the chief of police on at least two occasions, that we're aware of, concerning issues that concern him personally. We believe that such calls are inappropriate, given the amount of power that the mayor wields."

Norris, whosits on the city's civilian police oversight committee, said something needs to be done to better separate the two bodies.

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"I'm very aware of the perception that people can have," Pichet told reporters at the Friday news conference."But let me tell you once again,I'm independent regarding the operation and the investigation."

Two inquiries are currently underway relating to goings-on in the police service: one concerning the integrity of the SPVM's internal affairs division, the other, the Chamberland commission, islooking into the case of police surveillance of journalists in Quebec.

The results of both inquiries are not expected to be released until after the Nov. 5 municipal election.