Quebec police officers put on leave pending sex abuse investigation

Quebec provincial police officers under investigation for sex abuse against aboriginal women in the community of Val-d'Or have either been put on leave or transferred to administrative duty.

The eightofficers had remained on dutysince the allegations were brought forward last May.

• Politicians, activists stunnedby sex assault allegations
• Aboriginal women's policesex abuse claims probed

At a news conference this morning,Public Safety MinisterLise Thriault alsoannouncedthe transfer of the investigation fromQuebec provincial police to the Montreal police and suggested the government may launch an inquiry into the matter.

The flurry ofmovescomeafterRadio-Canada's investigative programEnqutereportedstories of sexual violencetargetingaboriginal women in theQuebec town of 32,000.

Speaking publicly for the first time, women toldthe program that officers routinely picked up women who appeared to be intoxicated, drove them out of town and left them to walk home in the cold. Some allege they were physically assaulted or made to perform sex acts.

Thriaultsaid her office has been aware of the investigation since Maybuttold reporters she was "just as shocked as the rest of the population" when she learned of the details onEnqute.

She said the Quebec government "acted as soon as we had the facts."

Allegations date back at least adecade

At a news conference of his own,SretduQubecCapt. Guy Lapointesaidsome of the allegations date back 10years and"aren't a reflection" of the police force.

"I don't want to go into details of the investigation," he said.

"I'll just go as far as saying that we weren't aware of all the allegations that were put forward in the report yesterday."

He said the five officers still workinginVal-d'Orwere sent home,while three other officerswho had already been transferred outside the communitywere shifted to administrative duty.

Lapointe said of the 14 allegations, two involved sexual misconduct. He said sexual assault allegations were also made against a ninth officer, who is now deceased.

He said the force would co-operate with Montreal police in its probe.

The Montreal police service issued its own statement Friday afternoon saying that investigators will contact every complainant.

The force invitedanyone with information regarding the incidents reported byEnquteto communicate with investigators at1-844-615-3118.

Vald'Or, about 500 kilometresnorthwest of Montreal,is located close to several Algonquin communities.

'A national tragedy'

Val D'Or First Nations community reacts to allegations

9 years ago

Duration 1:59

dith Cloutier, director of the Val-d'Or native friendship centre, says a "national tragedy" is unfolding in the community.Speaking with reporters in Val-d'Or earliertoday,dithCloutier, director of the local native friendship centre,called for the Quebec government to take immediate actionby calling an inquiry into the matter.

"A national tragedy is unfolding here, at our door," she said, while offering her praise to thewomen involved for going public with the allegations.

Cloutier added thatas ofFriday morning, other aboriginal women were calling or dropping bythe Native Friendship Centre with their own assault allegations.

"They want to file complaints," saidCloutier."We understand that there will be more women coming out ... We know that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Thefamily of Sindy Ruperthouse, a 45-year-old First Nations woman whowent missing from the community 17 months ago, also shared its story.

Sindy's parents,Johnny Wyldeandmilie Ruperthouse Wyldeaccused police of failing to take herdisappearance seriously.

DavidKistabish, chief of the nearbyAbitibiwinni First Nation, also said the Quebec government needs to do more. He said it's time for a provincial inquiry.

RomeoSaganash, the NDP MP for the area, told CBC Montreal's Daybreakthe seriousness of the allegations mean a broader inquiry should be launched.

On Thursday,Premier Philippe Couillardcalled the allegations troubling, but wouldn't commit to any specific actions.

"I think we must all not only deplore, but strongly condemn, these acts if they are indeed corroborated by the investigation," he said Thursday.