Pubdate: Fri, 13 Nov 2015
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2015 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.montrealgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Linda Gyulai
Page: A6

POLICE ARREST ONE OF THEIR OWN ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE

A Montreal police officer, who was charged on Thursday with drug
trafficking and other criminal offences, will face a judge on Friday
to seek bail.

The Montreal Police Department suspended Philippe Bonenfant, a patrol
officer with downtown Station 21 with six years' service, without pay
after he was charged at the Montreal courthouse, said Cmdr. Khanh Du
Dinh, who handles community relations for the Montreal police.

Bonenfant faces charges of trafficking ecstasy and speed, counselling
someone to commit a criminal act, possession of a prohibited weapon,
which in this case is a pair of brass knuckles, and fraudulent use of
a computer, Dinh said. The latter charge concerns the use of the
Quebec police information centre, a database housing information for
use only in the course of police work, he said.

Bonenfant, who is 29, was arrested on Wednesday. However, details
about what sparked the investigation or when it began can't be
disclosed at the moment because they're part of the evidence that will
be presented in court, Dinh said.

Bonenfant's colleagues met with their station commander and were
informed of the arrest, he said.

No other arrests have been made at this time, he said.

"It's always sad to see something like that happen," he said, adding
that "it's a rare case." The police force, like other organizations,
isn't immune to such incidents, Dinh said. "It affects the image of
the department. But we console ourselves by the fact that the majority
of our police officers do a professional job, have integrity and meet
our expectations. We'll continue to do our job."

Another Montreal officer, Amir El Alfy, pleaded guilty in May of this
year to illegally ordering and receiving 250 capsules of the drugs
Viagra and Cialis without a prescription as well as to stealing a
protester's iPhone in 2012.

He was one of four officers, including a second member of the Montreal
police and two Longueuil officers, arrested in 2013.

The second Montreal officer, Charles Lavallee, pleaded guilty last
fall to trafficking steroids and possession of hashish.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt