New Brunswick·NewA Saint John police officer has been criminally charged with breach of public trust following a citizen complaint, while another officer is facing an investigation over a separate incident where a man allegedly suffered serious injuries while being arrested.Detective constable due in court Dec. 2, police watchdog reviews use of force by another officerListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.’The public’s trust and confidence are paramount to the Saint John Police,’ Chief Robert Bruce said in a statement Thursday. (Hadeel Ibrahim/CBC)A Saint John police officer has been criminally charged with breach of public trust following a citizen complaint, while another officer is facing an investigation over a separate incident where a man allegedly suffered serious injuries while being arrested.An 18-year veteran of the Saint John Police Force, a detective constable, has been charged with breach of trust by a public officer following an investigation by the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force, Staff Sgt. Shawna Fowler said Thursday.She declined to disclose the officer’s name or any details about the nature of the alleged breach, including when it occurred.But she did tell CBC News the offence occurs “when a person is an official or person of authority and their conduct represented a serious and marked departure from the standards expected of an individual in that position of public trust.”According to the Criminal Code, “every official who, in connection with the duties of their office, commits fraud or a breach of trust, whether or not the fraud or breach of trust would be an offence if it were committed in relation to a private person,” is guilty of either an indictable offence or a less serious summary conviction.The unnamed officer is scheduled to appear in provincial court on Dec. 2 and has been suspended with pay pending the criminal proceedings, the news release said.An investigation under the New Brunswick Police Act will follow.“The public’s trust and confidence are paramount to the Saint John Police,” Chief Robert Bruce said in a statement.”We will continue to hold our members to the highest standard of accountability while being transparent,” he said, declining further comment while the case is before the courts.This case did not meet the mandate of the Serious Incident Response Team, known as SIRT, Fowler said.SIRT investigates all matters in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters determined to be of a public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer on or off duty.Police chase after collisionMeanwhile, SIRT is investigating the actions of another officer during an arrest on July 5, around 2:15 a.m., following an internal review.Saint John Police and New Brunswick Public Prosecution Services referred this incident to SIRT “due to the use of force,” the police watchdog said in a news release Thursday.Officers responded to a collision on the Harbour Bridge that morning and pursued a man in a vehicle who had allegedly fled the scene, was driving erratically and nearly struck an officer who was outside of their police vehicle, according to the agency.The chased vehicle eventually “became disabled” and stopped on Main Street North, where “multiple officers engaged with the driver,” the release said.Serious injury to eye and ribsHe was taken into custody and transported to the hospital to be treated for his injuries.”SIRT has taken some preliminary investigative steps and has learned the male suffered a serious injury to his eye and ribs,” the release said.”Due to the serious injury sustained by the male, SIRT has assumed responsibility for this investigation.”The officer who is the subject of SIRT’s investigation will remain on active duty pending the outcome, Fowler said.She declined further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.Anyone with information is asked to contact SIRT by calling 1-855-450-2010 or via email at sirt@gov.ns.ca.
Saint John Police officer charged with breach of trust, another investigated after man injured during arrest
