By The Canadian Press

Alberta RCMP officer charged with 2 counts of sexual assault, breach of trust

Mar 30, 2017 | 5:12 PM

EDMONTON — An Alberta RCMP officer is facing sexual assault charges following an investigation by the province’s police watchdog.

Susan Hughson, with Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, says they began an investigation last July.

She says the initial investigation found one of the alleged sexual assaults occurred in the Red Deer detachment in 2016.

The investigation uncovered other allegations including another sexual assault which allegedly took place in 2012.

Hughson wouldn’t say if the complainants worked for the RCMP or if they were people being held in custody.

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Const. Jason Tress is facing two counts of sexual assault involving two women and two counts of breach of trust including one involving a third woman.

He is scheduled to appear in Red Deer provincial court on April 12.

Hughson said everyone takes these allegations seriously.

“Sexual assaults are difficult enough for people who have been sexually assaulted, it would seem reasonable that it’s only more difficult for those women or children or victims when the perpetrator is a police officer,” she said.

“When these incidents take place during the execution of the duties that makes it extremely serious.”

She refused to give any information about the complainants but praised them for coming forward.

“In particular, the first young lady to come forward in the first place, it took great courage for her to step forward and tell investigators what happened.”