This information sheds new light that makes it possible to understand why the SPVM’s leadership, which voluntarily kept Philippe Pichet on the sidelines for five years, suddenly rolled out the red carpet for him.
Instead of taking office as planned on October 10, Philippe Pichet was on sick leave for an indefinite period on the orders of his family doctor.
Radio-Canada has learned that strong negative reactions internally have scuppered management’s plans, which had set itself the impossible task of facilitating the gradual return of Philippe Pichet to the helm of 1,000 police officers and 17 police officers.
The multiplication of negative internal reactions would have poisoned the conditions for the return of the client concerned, who never responded to our attempts to communicate with him.
The management of the SPVM would have shown listening and empathy in the face of this situation, which Philippe Pichet targeted. Suggestions were also reportedly made to facilitate his return.
With the date of his official return approaching, Philippe Pichet was reportedly advised to be “cautious” in the first few weeks after his arrival, as he could not be guaranteed that he would be safe from inappropriate comments or harmful gestures from certain officials.
Upon review, the City of Montreal’s policy on protecting the individual, which the SPVM must respect, states that the employer must take the necessary measures to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical well-being of the worker.
“Every employee has the right to a work environment free from bullying. »
— A quote from Article 81.19, City of Montreal Policy on Respect for the Person
Mr. Pichet would have filed a work injury complaint against the city of Montreal with CNESST on Thursday.
A hasty and improvised return?
This intervention by the city’s legal department in the administration of the SPVM came on the sidelines of a civil case filed in recent months by Philippe Pichet, who publicly claimed to be the subject of a de facto dismissal.
Since the end of his loan to the city of Fermont in January 2021, Philippe Pichet, despite his rank of chief inspector and an impeccable disciplinary file, has not had access to internal communications from the SPVM, in addition to communications from research.
Under ex-boss Sylvain Caron, he had been instructed to stay at home and, above all, not to appear in person at a Montreal police facility.
In addition, he was forbidden to communicate with an employee of the SPVM on duty.
The city’s lawyers have recommended that the SPVM give real responsibility to Philippe Pichet.
Therefore, after a five-year absence from Montreal Police, Mr Pichet was summoned on September 20 by interim director Sophie Roy and her deputy director Jean-Michel Sylvestre to speak with him the next day.
During a private meeting, Philippe Pichet should have learned that he had been assigned an office in the Southern Operations Center so he could become the manager of 1,000 police officers spread across 20 neighborhood stations, including those at Montreal Airport.
Neither the SPVM nor Philippe Pichet commented on the situation.