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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - Charlottetown police are conducting an internal investigation into a police officer accused of engaging in sexual activity in police vehicles while on duty.

Deputy police chief Brad MacConnell confirms the police department was made aware of concerns about the officer, but says they did not receive a formal complaint. However, the nature of the information they received did result in the department launching an internal investigation.

“When we were armed with the information, it certainly concerned us,” MacConnell said.

“(They are) certainly serious allegations.”

The Guardian has learned the investigation is focused on concerns brought forward by a woman who says she engaged in sexual activities with a 20-year police veteran in his police cruiser while he was on duty.

The woman spoke exclusively to The Guardian.

The Guardian has agreed not to name her.

She said she was romantically involved with this police officer for the last 16 years, and over this time met him regularly in semi-secluded spots around the city in his police cruiser where they would have sex.

Among the locations where they would go “parking in the paddy wagon,” as she put it, was a court behind Queen Charlotte Intermediate School and a parking lot near the airport.

She alleges there were times they were together when other officers on duty would call for backup over the radio, but he would ignore the calls to remain with her.

The woman recently ended her relationship with police officer. She says she decided to lodge a complaint with Charlottetown Police Services about their encounters because she believes they should know their officers are engaging in intimate activities in police vehicles while on duty. She alleges she also had sexual encounters with another police officer in his cruiser while he too was on duty prior to her relationship with the police officer currently under investigation.

“We’re respectful of the families that are involved with this, because there are children and other parties, so we’re trying to balance all of that out. But we’re not trying to keep anything under wraps. It’s got to run its course.”

-Deputy police chief Brad MacConnell

MacConnell would not confirm the identity of the police officer being investigated, but The Guardian has viewed messages he sent to the woman who made the complaint, including one in which he included a photo of his desk at the police station. In the photo, his computer screen is clearly visible, which displays personal and legal information of one or more individuals.

The Guardian has chosen at this time not to name the police officer.

MacConnell says the internal investigation is ongoing, which is looking at verifying the woman’s allegations. The woman says police took photos of messages she exchanged with the officer showing two of them making plans to meet in various parking lots.

After The Guardian first contacted police looking for comment, the woman says she received phone calls from a Charlottetown police sergeant who asked for her discretion.

MacConnell denied the department was trying to keep this story from coming out, stressing it is an internal investigation that also involves human resources.

“We’re respectful of the families that are involved with this, because there are children and other parties, so we’re trying to balance all of that out. But we’re not trying to keep anything under wraps. It’s got to run its course.”

When asked why this wasn’t referred to an external agency for investigation, MacConnell said the department determined the circumstances of this case did not warrant taking this step.

He added they are hoping to have this case “dealt with as quickly as possible,” and expects a decision by early next week.

The police officer in question remains active and on duty while the investigation is ongoing.

MacConnell said this is an isolated case and that there have been no other similar complaints against any other officers or staff.

In 2016, two male Montreal police officers were suspended after they were photographed by a passerby having sex with women in a police vehicle while on duty in 2014. The investigation into that incident was conducted by the Quebec police ethics committee and lasted two years.

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