Two Quebec City police officers suspended over 2021 arrest

Two Quebec City police officers have been suspended without pay after a police ethics tribunal found they used more force than necessary during a restaurant arrest in November 2021. The tribunal said officers Jacob Picard and Anthony Soares were disciplined for their role in an intervention at the Portofino restaurant in SainteFoy, Quebec City, during a barmonitoring operation. The decision, issued July 9, said the force used led to a man's nose being fractured. According to the ruling, the encounter escalated after officers tried to verify conditions tied to one man's criminal record and another man, JeanPhilippe StLaurent, became involved. StLaurent was taken to the ground, handcuffed, and struck multiple times during the arrest. He later pleaded guilty to obstruction and assault charges. Both officers said afterward that they would handle the situation differently and acknowledged mistakes in hindsight.