Former Quebec police chief and two other senior officers acquitted

MONTREAL – Three former senior Quebec provincial police officers including the one-time chief of the force have been acquitted on charges of fraud, theft and breach of trust.

Former chief Richard Deschesnes, assistant director of investigations Steven Chabot and inspector in charge of intelligence Alfred Tremblay were acquitted Monday.

The three were suspected of having used a $25-million discretionary fund normally used to pay sources and informants for other expenses.

But Quebec court Judge Josee Belanger ruled in a 106-page decision there was no evidence of anything dishonest in their actions.

Their lengthy trial lasted nearly two years.

A fourth senior provincial police officer charged along with the trio when charges were announced in January 2014, Jean Audette, was also acquitted after a separate trial before a different judge in January 2018.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2019.