CSL to investigate 'heavyhanded' Montreal Police arrests

The mayor of Côte St. Luc has promised an investigation, following a report of some allegedly "heavyhanded" arrests by the Montreal Police, which were witnessed by a resident. "I witnessed a very heavyhanded arrest recently at the corner of Kildare and Rembrandt," Myra Shuster told council during its monthly public meeting last Monday. "I'm wondering if the public security, criminality situation in the area is such that the police feel that they have to resort to very heavyhanded arrests."

Shuster said her neighbour's son was recently handcuffed at the corner of Cavendish and Mackle. "Also an unjustified arrest," she said. "Detained for two hours. I witnessed the police throw two youths against a car. "Certainly injured them in the process without putting them under arrest in any appropriate way prior to that. I found it quite shocking. So I'm wondering what's justifying this behaviour on the part of the police?"

Police behaviour is the purview of the Montreal Agglomeration, Mayor Anthony Housefather said. He added that the police would probably not be able to answer questions satisfactorily, unless Shuster provided the exact dates and times when the incidents took place.

Housefather said it was the first he'd heard of police brutality in the area. "I know the police in this area well and I've never witnessed any police brutality," he said. "I don't know what the events were."

In his monthly report to council, public safety commission chairman Glenn Nashen confirmed there had been two arrests, although he had no other information on them. "I can't comment, of course, on any particularities, because we didn't see it, and what's brutal to one person may not be to the next," he said. "We don't know the circumstances."

During question period, Dr. Bernard Tonchin, a regular attendee at city council meetings, said, "I was a little taken aback by the action of the police and I don't accept the answer that it's the City of Montreal. "I think it's incumbent upon us as the body representing the citizens of this city to look into this question that this woman brought up. She may be right, she may be wrong, and the answer should be made public."

Housefather insisted, "I have no knowledge of the police in this area being brutal with anybody. The police at Station 9 so far in my view have done an exemplary job in almost every instance that I've ever seen. That's not to say that somebody hasn't made a mistake somewhere and been wrong. We'll look into it." The Monitor attempted to obtain a response from police at Station 9 on Cavendish Boulevard. A recorded message said the community relations officer was on a sabbatical vacation until next December. Callers were advised to call 9-1-1 instead.