(Trois-Rivières) It is today that the police world will bid farewell to Sergeant Maureen Breau, murdered in the line of duty on March 27, in Louiseville, Mauricie.
Thousands of police officers and first responders from all over North America will parade in a funeral procession through the streets of Trois-Rivières for more than three kilometers to reach the basilica of the sanctuary of Notre-Dame-du-Cap, where Mrs. Breau’s funeral beginning at 1:30 p.m.
Many elected officials are also expected at the celebration.
Already, a special ceremony had taken place on the evening of March 31 in front of the Sûreté du Québec post in Louiseville. About a hundred people were present, including first responders from various departments, firefighters, paramedics and others, as well as relatives.
The death of the sergeant was also underlined with emotion during the graduation ceremony of the National Police School of Quebec, which took place the same day, Friday, March 31. The Minister of Public Security, François Bonnardel, the guest of honor at the ceremony, took the opportunity to highlight the courage required to practice this profession.
Maureen Breau, a police officer with 20 years of service, died during an intervention with a man who had threatened neighbors in an apartment building in downtown Louiseville.
The individual in question, Isaac Brouillard-Lessard, had rushed at her with a bladed weapon. He was shot on the spot by other police officers who came to help.
The case led to an important reflection within the authorities, the assassin being considered as a significant risk for society by the Commission for the Review of Mental Disorders, which had nevertheless released him despite his heavy file. . Apprehended for violent crimes five times since 2014, Isaac Brouillard-Lessard had been found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder each time.
On April 4, following significant pressure from the Quebec Provincial Police Association (APPQ, the union representing SQ police officers), Minister Bonnardel announced the start of work to assess the feasibility of their main demand. , which is the sharing of information on the mental state of released persons.
During the parliamentary committee studying Bill 14 on police services, Minister Bonnardel specified that the deputy ministers of Public Security, Justice and Social Services would meet quickly “to assess how, legally or not, we could transmit information for particular health cases”.
“Ms. Breau will not have fallen in battle for nothing,” he added then.
The disclosure of information about a person’s mental health is a delicate issue since, as a general rule, a patient’s medical file is confidential.
The APPQ is also asking for a review of the criteria of the Mental Disorders Review Commission of Quebec in the case of the release of a person with mental health problems.
The same day, François Bonnardel asked the chief coroner to launch a public inquiry into the death of Sergeant Breau, an investigation which was entrusted to coroner Me Géhane Kamel. Me Kamel will be assisted by Me Dave Kimpton, Public Inquiry Attorney.
