In honor of Black History Month, the Montreal fire and police departments are holding the fifth edition of their “Diversity in Uniform” career fair to recruit more minorities.
Fourteen public safety organizations joined forces with the Montreal Police (SPVM) and the Montreal Fire Department (SSIM) and set up a stall at the event at the St-Michel Community Center.
“We are acutely aware that we have a lack of diversity in our workforce and across all of our organizations,” said SSIM equity, diversity and inclusion adviser Anik St-Pierre. “We want people to know we are open, and we want them to join us.”
Officer Farah Benosman is of Algerian descent and felt that the increasing number of minorities seen presenting her at the SPVM, including new police chief Fady Dagher, would be a catalyst for change.
“They saw me in me and realized they would not be alone on the force,” he said.
In 2021, the SPVM Activity Report said there were only three Indigenous officers, 17 ethnic minorities, and 39 visible minorities out of more than 4,500 officers.
