Can the head of the SQ help reform Montreal's beleaguered police service?

The appointment of Martin Prud'homme to the Montreal police force's top job is being touted as a fresh start for the beleaguered institution.

Alex Norris, chair of the City of Montreal's public security commission, says the Plante administration is "enthusiastic" about the new leadership.

"I do believe this opens quite an extraordinary opportunity to change the culture of the SPVM and to open a new chapter in the history of the force," he told CBC Montreal's Daybreakon Thursday.

Prud'homme has taken a leave of absence from his job as the director of the Sret du Qubec in order to serve as the interim head of the Montreal force. Thursday is his first full day on the job in a mandate that will last until Dec. 31, 2018.

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He was named to the job following the suspension of Montreal police chief Philippe Pichet, whose leadership skills were called into question in a damning report into the force's internal affairs department.

Prud'homme'sjob will be to "set the ship right," restoreproper leadership and morale at the police force, Norris explained.

When pressed, Norriscouldn't say how many of the issues outlined in the report he thought would be fixed by the timePrud'homme's mandate is up, pointing out some of the problems are longstanding.

He said the commission as well as the police brotherhood will have roles to play when it comes to making the changes outlined in the report.

While the provincial government made the final call about what would happen to Pichet, Norris said both the city and province concluded that someone new was needed in the top position at the SPVM.

"In many ways this dovetails with our own commitment as a new administration to change the culture of the police force," Norris said.

The interim leader of theofficial opposition at city hall said hewants the new police chief to be at the city council meetingnext Monday.

"He has to explain how he's going to work," said Lionel Perez. "How he's going to work with the current mayor, how he's going to work with the current leadership, how he's going to work with the local commanders. What's his vision?"

A spokesperson for the city's executive committee responded by saying "when the interim chief has developed a plan to solve the governance problems and re-establishconfidence, he will have the chance to come and present in front of the public security commissionin an open and transparent session."

Prud'hommeis 'solid', public security minister says

QuebecPublic Security Minister MartinCoiteuxdefended the decision to appointPrud'hommeWednesday, saying he would be able to independently govern the force and wasn't there to satisfy personal ambition.

"In this situation we had no choice, we needed to find someone solid,"Coiteuxsaid.

In an interview on Daybreak Thursday, Coiteux said in light of the report, the force had to be restructured.

"Mr. Pichet did not show a serious willingness or capacity to make the necessary changes," he said.

While the government made the decision to suspend Pichet, whether he is paid is a decision made by his employer, Coiteuxsaid. Pichet was suspended with pay.

Coiteuxsaid Prud'hommeis a "highly respected man by every police [officer] in Quebec, including those in the SPVM," adding his mandate was clearly explained to him and that if he needs extra resources to fulfill it, he will get them.

In all likelihood, Coiteux said, when the City of Montreal proposes names for the next chief of the Montreal police, Pichet's won't be one of them.

Call for collaboration

Coiteuxcalled on Montreal police officers to collaborate with their new chief, something the head of the police union said will not be a problem.

Yves Francoeur, presidentof the Montreal Police Brotherhood, told Daybreakhe thinks Prud'homme will be able to get the force back on track.

"Twelve months, I don't know if it will be enough. It's a very big challenge for Mr. Prud'homme, because there's a lot to do."

Guy Ryan, a former inspector with theSPVM'sorganized crime unit, said he doesn't thinkMontreal police will have a problem withPrud'hommejust because he's from the SQ.

"I think there'll be collaboration," he said.

Ryan said he understands the decision to move Prud'homme into therole, but said he doesn't know how well it will work, considering the SQ'songoing investigation of the force.

The SQ took over investigations of its internal affairs division last February, after whistleblowersallegedinvestigators fabricated evidence to keep officers quiet about corruption inside the force.

Francoeursaid he would like to see a permanent change to internal affairsso that all investigations into criminal allegations are done outside the force, a recommendation made in the report.

Coiteux said the government is studying that possibility.

Who is Martin Prud'homme?

Prud'homme took the helm of the SQ in 2014, and in the years since hasalready learned how to be the chief of a force under scrutiny.

In April, he was called before the Chamberlandcommission, a public inquiry into police surveillance of media figures.

Prud'homme testified that his police force had put a total of seven journalists under surveillance.

Hetoldthe commission that no journalisthad been the target ofsurveillance since he took over as SQ chief.

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He's also worked to ease tensions between the SQ and the community of Val-d'Orfollowing allegations by Indigenous women of sexual and physical abuse by officers.

Prud'homme announced a new station in the area with a mixed police force.

He hoped having a station staffed by a combination of police officers and representatives from the area would help ease strained relations in the community.

The announcement came in November, months after he was blasted for not vowing to tackle the root of the problem.

By December, the Quebec government launched an inquiry into the allegations.

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"When the provisional administrator has developed his own plan to solve governance problems and restore confidence, he will have the chance to come and present him to the Public Safety Committee in an open and transparent session.