Exploring the lack of diversity in Quebec police forces

Quebec's police academy doesn't have "a lot of influence" over whether visible minorities apply to become officers, says a spokesman for the academy.

Pierre Saint-Antoine, director of communications ofcole nationale de police du QubecinNicolet, said racialminorities made upfiveper cent of its student populationin 2015, despite attempts to"recruit people from all diversities and communities in Quebec."

"We don't have a lot of influence on the people that apply here," Saint-Antoinesaid, adding that Nicolethas a program in place, in conjunction with the Quebec government,to encourage more diversity among applicants.

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Saint-Antoine's comments come after numbers compiled by CBC News show that Quebec police forces are lagging in their hiring of visible minorities.

For instance, the Sret du Qubec serves more than 2.5 million people, however, fewer than one per cent of its officers are not Caucasian.

Community activists have said a lack of diversity among police leads to strained relationships with racial minorities.

But getting more people to apply is no easy task, says Paul Chablo, the head of John Abbott's police technology program.

Before going to Nicolet, prospective police officers must first complete a three-year CEGEP program, and Chablo said many people from minority backgrounds don't apply.

Out of roughly 250 students at John Abbott, 49 define themselves as having an "ethnic background" and only seven are visible minorities.

'They have to adjust their techniques'

Chablo, who is alsotheformerdirector of communications for the Montreal police, points to a multitude of factors including lacklustre recruiting efforts and poor relationships with some ethniccommunities toexplainthe lack of diversity among applicants.

He saidQuebec police need to a better job of reaching out to prospective employees to encourage them to apply to CEGEPprograms in the first place.

"I think they have to adjust their techniques," he said in an interview.

"The police forces are saying they have officers from differentbackgrounds well, bring them with you when you're doing yourrecruiting. Why are you not using these people as valuable tools toconnect?"

But, Chablo added, there are deeper issues at play.

"We have kids from different ethnic backgrounds that are in thedepartment, and the comments I get from them every time we talk aboutthis is that, a lot of the time,theirparents don't want them to do thisline of work," Chablo said in an interview.

"Sometimes in other countries the police are corrupt with a wholedifferent style of policing than what you see inCanada."

TheSretduQubecdeclined an interview requestand Montreal police did not return a request for comment.

Real Talk on Raceis CBC Montreal's special series exploring personal conversations and experiences aroundrace in the city.