In Quebec, small steps to change the face of policing

Growing up in Montreal, Tyrel Phillips dreamed of becoming a police officer. He was drawn to the uniform and the sirens and lights on the patrol cars as they sped by.

As he got older, the idea of giving back and helping people felt like a perfect fit for his outgoing personality. It also helped that he had a mentor. Phillips's cousin is an RCMP officer in New Brunswick and encouraged him to pursue policing as a career.

As a Black man, Phillips also hopes he can be a role model. 

"A lot of young kids nowadays, they're like, 'Aww, the police, it's not my cup of tea,' but that's the problem," said Phillips, 21, a student in the police technology program at John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que.

Phillips is part of a growing effort to recruit more women, people of colour and Indigenous people into the ranks of police.

But an analysis by CBC News shows there is a lot of work to be done. CBC examined the makeup of 12 police forces in Quebec, including the police in Montreal, Longueuil and Laval.

All had a level of diversity lower than the general population in the communities they serve, a finding consistent with the gaps in representation documented across Canada.

Phillips, who is in his final year of schooling, believes it is crucial for people to see themselves reflected among those in uniform. 

"One, it can make it way easier for interventions and two, just putting a different image," said Phillips.

In certain cases, he believes having an officer from the same background or culture could completely change a tense dynamic or intervention.

"You know, you understand the person a bit more," he said.

Quebec police forces have tried to address the problem of representation with programs aimed at encouraging more women, people of colour and Indigenous people to become officers.

Those who meet the criteria can get hired by participating police departments after taking a 30-week fast-track course in police techniques at one of three French-language colleges, followed by a 15-week stint at the provincial police academy in Nicolet.

Nicolet has expanded enrolment in the fast-track program this year — to 90 students, compared with 30 three years ago — in an attempt to bring in a more diverse pool of students.