WATERLOO REGION - A Waterloo Regional Police officer was demoted at a disciplinary hearing Friday in connection with charges of misconduct involving a female officer nearly four years ago.

In addition to the demotion, Const. Zachary Gent, who did not appear at his hearing on Friday, was ordered to continue with counselling and treatment. When he returns to work he must complete a harassment and discrimination program paid for by the police service.

The province's Special Investigations Unit initially charged Gent with sexual assault against a woman who was a civilian employee at the service. She later became an officer.

The charge was later dropped.

The incident occurred on April 2015 at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer but police were not notified of the allegations until a year later.

Gent, an officer for 12 years, was suspended with pay. He has been on sick leave since at least last year.

The hearing heard that Gent has a "disability" that impacted his actions that day.

Police lawyer Virginia Torrance said Gent's disability is not "an excuse but an explanation" and impacted his behaviour. He is actively seeking treatment, she said.

When the criminal charge was dropped, Gent agreed to a peace bond, which required him to have no contact with the woman for a year and to write a letter of apology.

In the letter, Gent acknowledged there had been a "misunderstanding."

On Friday, Gent's lawyer did not present an apology as part of his client's submissions.

"I would have hoped to have seen one," hearing officer retired OPP Supt. Greg Walton said.

Gent was found guilty of one count of discreditable conduct and two counts of insubordination last fall.

The hearing heard that Gent engaged in physical and sexual contact with the employee and should have known that the advances were "offensive" and "hostile."

Disciplinary hearing documents show the pair were at a domestic violence course at the college. They were initially having drinks in a lounge and then the pair went to his room.

The pair kissed and when Gent asked if she could keep a secret and said that he was married, the woman said she was not interested in going further.

Walton said he did not accept that Gent accepted her decision to stop the encounter.

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Walton also said the woman was consistent in her testimony that Gent blocked her path when she tried to walk to the door.

At the hearing Torrance said Gent, who was in the domestic violence unit at the time, said police take sexual harassment in the workplace very seriously.

"Sexual harassment is a serious matter and more serious when it involves officers as perpetrators, particularly an officer in the domestic violence unit," Torrance said.

As part of his penalty, Gent will not return to the domestic violence unit.

Torrance said Gent was a detective constable at the time of the incident and earning $110,000. With the penalty, he will be demoted to second-class constable, earning $89,000.

The demotion lasts for 15 pay periods. He will then return to the rank of first-class constable with annual pay of $103,000.

The hearing heard that Gent had a previous disciplinary charge of insubordination. He plead guilty to accessing police databases for someone he was dating at the time.

Torrance said the two discipline matters on his record raised some concerns for police because it showed "poor judgments related to relationships with women."

lmonteiro@therecord.com

Twitter: @MonteiroRecord