In a recent ruling by the Administrative Tribunal on Police Ethics, two Quebec police officers, Sgt. Simon Deveault-Bonenfant and officer François Bleau-Goulet from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), have been handed severe penalties for racially profiling a Black driver in Mascouche back in 2020.
Leslie Blot was subjected to a vehicle stop and search solely based on the color of his skin, resulting in the officers facing suspensions without pay. The tribunal found both officers guilty in August 2026 and subsequently issued their penalties on Oct. 9.
Sgt. Deveault-Bonenfant received a 25-day suspension without pay, while Bleau-Goulet was handed a 20-day suspension without pay. Furthermore, the two officers are required to complete a 19-hour training course on racial profiling.
In addition to these sanctions, Sgt. Deveault-Bonenfant faces an additional 10 days of suspension without pay for an abusive search and for failing to show respect or courtesy towards Blot during the incident.
The tribunal’s decision was influenced by a video recording made by Blot during the encounter. The footage highlighted the officers’ baseless suspicions, such as alleging Blot’s backpack contained drugs and raising concerns about the contents of his car. The tribunal ultimately determined that the stop was racially motivated, and the search conducted was both abusive and illegal.
