Montreal police will provide an update Tuesday on their response to allegations of racist behaviour by officers in the city’s north end.

Chief Fady Dagher will speak about the situation and take questions at the public event Tuesday evening at City Hall, which will also be streamed online.

The public discussion comes two months after the police force disbanded a 16-member patrol unit in the city’s Montréal-Nord borough over the allegations, including claims that police officers cut the hair of racialized citizens to turn into “trophies.”

The allegations rocked the city, prompting protests and demands for police reform. At the time, Chief Dagher said he was “deeply shocked” by the situation.

Montreal police have launched an internal investigation of the allegations after police employees raised concerns in March about unacceptable actions and behaviour by officers. They have revealed little about its progress since it became public in June.

Of the 16 officers, three were suspended, three were reassigned to administrative duties and the other 10 were transferred to other units, according to The Canadian Press.

Montreal police have said many of the officers had just three or four years of service.

Chief Dagher has said criminal charges could be brought against some officers. But Anick Cantin, a spokesperson for the Quebec Crown prosecutor’s office, said Tuesday that police have not yet submitted a complete investigation file.

In a presentation document prepared for Tuesday’s discussion, the force says it has held more than 250 internal meetings and more than 100 outreach activities with communities since the allegations were made public.

It also says it’s “fostering a real cultural shift” and encouraging internal and external reporting.

Meanwhile, the allegations have provoked condemnation of the efforts by Montreal police to tackle racism within the force.

Last week, the Regroupement des intervenants et intervenantes d’origine haïtienne, a social-justice group based in Montréal-Nord, demanded serious sanctions for officers found guilty of racist acts, including dismissal.

It also called for an independent mechanism for reporting racial profiling and discrimination and for the Montréal-Nord police station to be placed under civilian command.

“This situation goes beyond the mere issue of individual disciplinary measures,” the group said in a news release. “It raises fundamental questions regarding public trust, institutional accountability, and the fight against racial profiling and all forms of discrimination.”

Quebec Domestic Security Minister Ian Lafrenière has appointed an independent observer to monitor the internal Montreal police investigation.

He has also said that depending on the findings, the investigation could be transferred to another police force or to Quebec’s police watchdog. He has not ruled out the possibility of a public inquiry.

Quebec’s police ethics commissioner has also launched an investigation.

With a report from The Canadian Press