A veteran Montreal police officer says racism is a "cancer eating away at the organization" in a stinging resignation letter.

Patrice Vilcéus, a Quebecer of Haitian origin, served on the Montreal police service (SPVM) for more than 30 years and worked his way up to commander of the anti-gang squad.

"Throughout my career, I've made sure that I'm not just an observer of racism, racial profiling and social challenges. My aim has been to break down taboos and introduce more nuanced approaches, so as to take all aspects into account and help the organization grow," he wrote in a four-page letter obtained by CTV News.

His letter made reference to the recent Quebec Superior Court ruling declaring that there's a systemic form of racial profiling within the SPVM. The landmark decision also awarded $5,000 in punitive damages to anyone stopped on the streets based on their ethnic origin.