News Release
St. Thomas Police Service Officer Charged
Case Number: 17-OSA-247
The Director of the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Tony Loparco, has caused charges to be laid against a St. Thomas Police Service (STPS) officer in relation to incidents that reportedly occurred from January 2016 to January 2017.
On Friday, September 8, 2017, the SIU was contacted by the police service regarding complaints of a sexual nature against a STPS officer. The alleged assaults reportedly occurred between January 2016 and January 2017 against a female youth. The SIU invoked its mandate.
As a result of the SIU investigation, Constable Garry Christiansen is facing the following charges under the Criminal Code:
- One count of sexual assault, contrary to s. 271;
- One count of sexual interference, contrary to s. 151;
- One count of invitation to sexual touching, contrary to s. 152;
- One count of sexual exploitation, contrary to s. 153(1.1); and
- One count of assault, contrary to s. 266.
Constable Christiansen was arrested today by members of the SIU, and later released on a number of conditions, including that he refrain from communicating directly or indirectly with the complainant. He is required to appear before the Ontario Court of Justice at 4 Wellington Street in St. Thomas on October 17, 2017.
The matter is now properly before the courts. In consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, the SIU will make no further comment pertaining to this investigation.
The SIU is an independent government agency that investigates the conduct of officials (police officers as well as special constables with the Niagara Parks Commission and peace officers with the Legislative Protective Service) that may have resulted in death, serious injury, sexual assault and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. All investigations are conducted by SIU investigators who are civilians. Under the Special Investigations Unit Act, the Director of the SIU must
- consider whether the official has committed a criminal offence in connection with the incident under investigation
- depending on the evidence, cause a criminal charge to be laid against the official where grounds exist for doing so, or close the file without any charges being laid
- publicly report the results of its investigations