Quebec's independent investigation unit called out for lack of diversity

Quebec's new independent bureau to investigate shootings, serious injuries and deaths stemming frompolice interventions has only just opened, and it's already facing questions about whether it can conduct a fair investigation.

The Bureau of Independent Investigations, which is to go by its French acronym BEI,finally got down to businesson Monday after years of delays.

It is comprised of18 investigators nineformer police officers, two peopleformerly associated with policeand seven civilians with relevant backgrounds in fields such as criminology and law.

The majority of them are white men.

• Quebec's independent investigation unit beset by delays

Robyn Maynard, a member of the activist group Montreal Noir, says that's a problem.

"That is not at all reflective of the actual make-up of Montreal. And especially it's not representative of the population that actually face the most police violence," she said.

The BEIhas been in the works for three years.

It was hit with another round of delays earlier this year afterthe bureau's director, former Crown prosecutorMadeleineGiauque, decided to introduce new training to ensure staff can properly handleallegations of sexual assault against police officers.

Thatdecision came on the heels of allegations of abuseagainst police inVal-d'Orlast year.

Julie Matson, whofounded Montreal-based Justice for Victims of Police Killingsafter her father died in police custody in 2002,believes ex-police officers should not be on the BEI.

"This is not an unbiased group of citizens working for the greater good here. It's just a badge protecting a badge," she said.

Process will be fair, BEIsays

Ren Trpanier,the BEI'sdeputy director, said steps will be taken to ensure the new unit conducts investigations fairly.

He saidthat lead investigators will not be assigned to any cases involvingpolice forceswhere they once served, andthat complicated cases need the perspective ex-officers can provide.

"We'll be able to have some training, some experience coming from the ex-officers, and the kind of investigations we do need that kind of training,"Trpanier said.