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As allegations of corruption continue to mount against the Montreal police force, including new questions about whether some of its members were receiving bribes from the Mafia, the SPVM chief reiterated Friday that he’s confident the situation is being handled properly.

“Of course, it’s not a good time for the SPVM,” Montreal police chief Philippe Pichet said in an interview from the force’s downtown headquarters. “We have a very serious situation to handle right now. I want to be informed about everything, and if I have any information that leads me to think I need to take action, I will.”

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Asked about the public’s confidence in the force amid recent scandals and if he would be willing to step aside in order to ensure it — something political leaders have called for — Pichet said resigning wasn’t being considered.

“I’m in charge of the SPVM right now,” he said. “I’m here to stay.”

Pichet’s comments came at the end of a day that saw new allegations of potential bribes from the Mafia being accepted by SPVM officers and one of the force’s highest-ranking officers being suspended indefinitely — a decision the chief said he had no choice but to make.