The province’s law enforcement watchdog is investigating two reports of sexual assault by one or more Guelph police officers, though little else is publicly known at this time.
There are two investigations underway, confirmed Special Investigations Unit (SIU) spokesperson Monica Hudon.
One incident was reported to the SIU on Jan. 14, in relation to an alleged sexual assault that happened the day before. The other incident was reported to the SIU on Jan. 24, stemming from an alleged sexual assault on Jan. 9.
Hudon declined to say whether the alleged assaults involved the same officer(s) or complainants(s).
“In cases involving allegations of sexual assault, the SIU, as a general matter, will not release details to the public which could potentially identify the individual alleging a sexual assault occurred or the officer who is the subject of the allegation,” Hudon wrote in an email response to GuelphToday inquiries.
“This is due to the release of information related to investigations of sexual assault allegations being associated with a risk of further deterring what is already an under-reported crime and undermining the heightened privacy interests of the involved parties, most emphatically, the affected persons.
“The SIU hopes that by not releasing identifying information in these cases, potential affected persons will be encouraged to come forward.”
Given that the allegations are under investigation by the SIU, Guelph police declined to comment.
Hudon noted it was Guelph police that reported the alleged incidents to the SIU.
“The mandate of the SIU is to (ensure) the actions of these officials resulting in serious injury, death, the discharge of a firearm at a person or an allegation of sexual assault are subjected to rigorous, independent investigations,” explains a post on the SIU website.
“The objective of every SIU investigation is to determine whether there is evidence of criminal wrongdoing on the part of the official. It is not to determine whether the involved official(s) may have committed some lesser offence, such as a breach of a provincial law or professional misconduct.”
For the most part, SIU investigations relate to the alleged on-duty actions of police, but not always. The website notes off-duty actions can be investigated if they are said to have “involved equipment or other property issued to the (police) official in relation to his or her duties.”
