Montreal police commander relieved of duties pending investigation

A high-ranking Montreal police officer has been relieved of his duties, based on unspecified information provided by Quebec's provincial police.

Cmdr. PatriceVilceuswasrelieved of his duties effective immediately and for an undetermined amount of time while theinformation from la SretduQubecis investigated.

Vilceus was named in an initial statement signed by Montreal police Chief Philippe Pichetissued Monday morning, but the statement was replaced by one that did not name the officer.

Radio-Canada has since confirmed that the suspended officeris Vilceus.

A top cop in organized crime squad

Vilceus was in the news early last year when it emerged that highly sensitivedocuments had been stolen from his car while he attended a Christmas party in December 2015.

• Montreal police scrambling to recover stolen USB drive with sensitive data

The information was on a USB key ina bag that was stolen from his car.

Vilceus was one of the top officers in a division known as theEclipse squad, which fights organized crime in the Montreal region.

It was reported at the time that Vilceus wasa highly regarded member of the force witha spotless 20-year career.

Heled several investigations, including internal ones, which led to disciplinary action against officers.