COMMUNITY LEADERS URGE COPS TO TACKLE RACIAL PROFILING

Montreal police can no longer deny that racial profiling exists among some
of its officers, community leaders said yesterday.

But they hope a recent court decision means the issue will be tackled by
the police force.

Montreal police have admitted racial profiling is sometimes used and want
to put a stop to it.

Last week, Quebec Court Judge Juanita Westmoreland-Traore ruled that drug
trafficking charges against Alexer Campbell, 25, be dropped because police
acted unlawfully when they detained and searched him in April 2004.

Westmoreland-Traore ruled that Campbell had been the victim of racial
profiling by police and acquitted him of a pair of drug charges.

Dan Philip, president of the Black Coalition of Quebec, said, "I'm very
satisfied with the decision - the cases of racial profiling are more
evident here in Quebec than perhaps anywhere else in Canada.

"In Toronto, measures were taken following the report from the human rights
commission, and here nothing has been done."

In an interview with The Gazette published Saturday, police admitted there
were issues of racial profiling but said they were ahead of other provinces
when it comes to fighting it.

Montreal police outlined plans to combat the problem, which include
heightened training for rookies and supervision for senior officers thought
likely to be intolerant.

They were also looking at ways of introducing officers to certain
communities through sports and other community activities, deputy police
chief Jacques Lelievre said. Still, he said that some officers "see a black
guy in a Lexus and they assume he's in a gang."

Montreal police did not return calls yesterday seeking comment on the
Quebec Court decision.

Until recently, police and city officials had denied that racial profiling
went on in this city.

In March 2004, one month before Campbell's arrest, outgoing police chief
Michel Sarrazin had sent a memo to all officers stating that racial
profiling was against policy and would not be tolerated.

Philip was hopeful the department will act to "correct the wrongs against
the black community."

He added that any appeal of Westmoreland-Traore's decision by the Crown
would be met with a fight from the black community to "defend this decision
to the end."

In the past two years, the Centre for Research-Action on Race Relations has
fielded a number of complaints about security guards and police by youths
from different ethnic backgrounds, particularly in the Cote des Neiges area.

"We're not pointing fingers, but the question is being asked if this is the
tip of iceberg or what," said Fo Niemi of the Centre for Research-Action on
Race Relations.

"In Quebec, there is a denial - particularly in the franco-phone majority -
that there exists such a thing as racial profiling," said Niemi, who has
studied the phenomenon during the past 21/2 years.

Niemi added those who believe they have been victimized should not hesitate
to file a complaint.

The Quebec Human Rights Commission estimates between 20 and 25 cases of
alleged racial profiling are before it. No decisions have come from any of
those cases.

Salam Elmenyawi, president of the Muslim Council of Montreal, said, "I'm
very happy to see, for a change, the Quebec justice system is now
recognizing profiling and trying to put an end to it.

"We do need to work together with the police and other people in charge to
make sure this problem is stopped."