Frantz Jean-Jacques recalls an optimistic feeling following a meeting over ten years ago with the commander of a police station in a diverse Montreal neighborhood. The gathering, attended by a group of local residents, mainly young men, shared troubling stories of police brutality and racial profiling, urging the police commander to take action.
“It was a positive meeting,” shared Jean-Jacques, a former community support worker. “He committed to investigating and stopping such unacceptable behaviors.”
At the time, Jean-Jacques led ÉvoluJeunes, an organization aiding youths dealing with legal issues in the neighborhood. The meeting was a result of a letter he sent to the police in 2015, along with photos of a young Black man allegedly beaten by officers behind a restaurant, shared by the Red Coalition.
Years later, doubts linger on whether Montreal police adequately addressed the allegations from that meeting. The Montréal-Nord police station currently faces severe criticism over allegations of misconduct and failure to address racial concerns in the community.
