HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia's independent police watchdog says no charges will be laid against a male RCMP officer in Halifax who faced an allegation of sexual assault after an incident at a party at his home.

The Serious Incident Response Team says the incident occurred in November 2014, when a female officer and the male officer were in a hot tub with another male officer.

The agency says when the female Mountie stood to cool off, she was inappropriately touched on her buttocks.

The response team says both officers were intoxicated at the time and the touching was witnessed by the other male officer, who intervened.

Though the female officer did not make a complaint, the matter came to the attention of superior officers and was referred to the Serious Incident Response Team.

The team's investigation concluded that while there were reasonable grounds to conclude the incident occurred, the female Mountie said the matter should not proceed to criminal charges.

However, the matter is being dealt with under the RCMP disciplinary process.