Laval appoints Karen Minard as new police chief amid rising extortion crimes

Laval —
The city of Laval in Quebec has appointed Karen Minar as the new head of the police force, in a move that comes amid rising concerns about the activities of organized crime networks and extortion operations targeting merchants and business owners in the area.

Minar has over two decades of experience within the Laval police, including work in units specialized in intelligence and combating street gangs, in addition to community prevention programs aimed at schools and youth.

At the beginning of her career, Minar participated in covert operations to infiltrate criminal circles in Laval, using undercover identities to gather information and evidence related to drug networks and organized groups active north of Montreal.

Minar said that confronting the wave of extortion that has affected restaurants, shops, and car dealerships will be among her top priorities, noting that some networks have started using teenagers to carry out acts of intimidation and threats.

She added that this reality requires combining firm security work with early prevention, especially through intervention with young groups before their involvement in criminal activities.

For his part, Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer said that Minar’s appointment reflects the city’s desire to tighten the fight against organized crime, affirming that the message is clear: any criminal activity in Laval will be met with a firm security response.

The decision comes at a time when law enforcement authorities in Quebec face increasing challenges related to extortion and intimidation crimes, amid fears of the expanding influence of organized networks using more violent methods to target business owners.