Laval police handcuff, illegally search Black military man’s home after street check: Red Coalition

Laval police allegedly stopped a Black aerospace engineer with the Canadian military, illegally searched his home, then criminally charged him.

“I’m scared when I see police stopping me, it gives me anxiety,” said Captain Pierre Emanuel Joseph. “I’m even planning to leave Quebec because I feel like people like me are not represented well enough in this province.”

Joseph says he was “street checked” by police and asked for ID after returning home from a run in 2021. He did not have ID on him, and instead verbally identified himself.

Police allegedly handcuffed him, took him home and illegally entered the residence – while neighbours watched. They allegedly verbally abused the man, claimed his military uniform was fake and threw it on the ground. Joseph had his handcuffs removed once police found his military ID.

“I was scared of running in the streets,” Joseph said, describing the aftermath. “I gained weight. I was scared of running in the streets. It impacted me a lot.”

Red Coalition, an anti-racism group, is denouncing Joseph’s alleged treatment.

“Once again, here we are addressing the very real problems and incidents of racial profiling,” said Red Coalition founder Joel DeBellefeuille. “The practice sees no boundaries even when you dedicate over a decade of your life swearing to protect the very country you reside in and the very people you live beside, including law enforcement officers.”

The Red Coalition says after the alleged incident, Joseph called Laval police director Pierre Bourget, “who appeared sympathetic.” Joseph also filed complaints with the police ethics commissioner and the Commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse (CDPDJ).

Joseph criminally charged 

Two months later, Joseph was charged criminally by the SPVL with obstructing a police officer for refusing to identify himself.

“They had to lie,” said Alain Babineau, the director of racial profiling and public safety with Red Coalition. “They couldn’t have possibly told the Crown prosecutor that they illegally arrested him, and then entered his residence illegally, and then searched his residence illegally.

“Because there’s no prosecutor out there that would have agreed to laid charges for failing to identify himself.”

Red Coalition says the Laval police subsequently contacted the military police and reported their version of the event.

“When Captain Joseph attempted to provide the military police with his version of the incident, he was verbally abused by the investigator,” the group says.

“If I gave my life to my organization, why am I being treated like a third-class citizen?” added Joseph. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Military Police says it’s offering support

In an emailed statement to CityNews, the National Defence Military Police said the “chain of command” was aware of the situation and continues to provide support to Joseph.

“This is being done by sharing available support resources, and informing them of the options for filing a formal complaint if he so chooses,” Jessica Lamirande said.

“Anyone who feels that a member of the MP has behaved in a manner that is abusive, inappropriate, or inconsistent with the high standard that is expected of all MP personnel, is encouraged to file a complaint with the MP Professional Standards or the Military Police Complaints commission.”

CityNews also contacted Laval police. The force acknowledged receipt of the request for comment but did not immediately provide a statement; they vowed to do so.

‘Serious problem with police culture’

“The treatment received from the Laval police and the military police by Captain Joseph reveals a serious problem with a police culture that sees any black person as a potential criminal and a liar.

“If Captain Joseph, who has been serving his country for over a decade is going to be treated that way by the police, no Black person is immune from racial profiling in this province.”

Joseph agreed to an out-of-court settlement of his criminal charges and asked the police ethics commissioner to close his file. Red Coalition says he did this to avoid further trouble.

The complaint with the CDPDJ remains open, but Joseph says he has not heard anything “for several months.”

The Red Coalition says one of the officers who arrested Joseph, Michael Leonard, was the subject of a complaint to the police ethics commissioner. The commissioner ruled against Leonard.

Joseph says the entire situation has made him want to leave Quebec.

“I have had to move from where I lived because I kept getting harassed by the Laval police following the event,” he said. “Now I just want to leave this province all together. No Black person is safe here.

“My trust in the Quebec justice system is extremely low.”