Quebec force provided information after Montreal incident

The interim chief of Nunavik's Kativik Regional Police force has been temporarily suspended with pay during an investigation into information received from the Sûreté du Québec internal affairs branch.

The Kativik Regional Government said Jobie Epoo, interim police chief since September, 2007, had been relieved of his duties last week.

"The suspension was made following the receipt of information by the KRG from the internal affairs branch at the Sûreté du Québec concerning an incident involving Mr. Epoo. The seriousness of the information will be further investigated within the next few weeks so to favour a fair and reasonable final decision," the KRG said.

"The KRG deeply regrets this situation, but immediate action was required to ensure the integrity of the chain of command at the KRPF and the continued smooth functioning of public security in the region."

The KRG said Aileen McKinnon, the KRPF's former deputy chief of operations, would take over from Epoo during the investigation.

Epoo, 50, had not yet been officially sworn in as KRPF police chief.

According to provincial police spokesperson Mélanie Paul, the SQ arrested a man from Kuujjuaq at 1:20 a.m. on Oct. 29 as he was driving east on Highway 20 in Montreal near the 55th avenue exit.

The man failed sobriety tests administered by police, she said. He was released with an order to appear in Montreal court on March 11, 2009.

Charges will likely not be made public until the court date, the SQ said.

Drinking and driving offences may be based on bad driving and signs of impairment, such as slurred speech, difficulty with standing or walking, red, glassy or bloodshot eyes, or breathalyzer tests showing more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 ml of blood.

Quebec recently introduced more severe penalties for individuals convicted of impaired driving.

Information on the Quebec automobile insurance association la Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec website site notes that, after a first impaired driving conviction, a driver's addiction to alcohol or drugs is assessed at a specialized centre.

"If the assessment is unfavourable, the individual will be required to undergo a complete assessment," the SAAQ says.

After a first conviction for drunk driving, drivers face the loss of their license for a period of one year.