Quebec’s highest court says municipal officers have the right to remain silent during investigations by the independent police watchdog. A BEI truck, Quebec’s independent police bureau, is seen as investigators examine the scene in Louiseville, Que., Tuesday, March 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Quebec’s highest court says municipal officers have the right to remain silent during investigations by the independent police watchdog. A BEI truck, Quebec’s independent police bureau, is seen as investigators examine the scene in Louiseville, Que., Tuesday, March 28, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
MONTREAL - Quebec’s highest court says police officers have the right to remain silent during investigations by the province’s police watchdog.
In a decision Tuesday, the Court of Appeal sided with the Quebec federation of municipal police officers and the Montreal police brotherhood against the provincial government.
In a unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal panel ruled that officers cannot be forced to provide documents that could incriminate them.
The panel also ruled that officers have the right to remain silent — and must be informed of that right at the start of any BEI investigation.
Created in 2013, the BEI is mandated to investigate when a person or an officer dies or is seriously injured during a police intervention or while in custody.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 2, 2024.
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