N.S. RCMP officer won’t be charged after child’s domestic assault allegations

The waiting area of the Serious Incident Response Team, the province's independent police watchdog agency, is seen in Halifax on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

Nova Scotia’s police watchdog says an RCMP officer will not be charged after facing allegations of domestic assault.

An elementary-aged child at a school in the Annapolis Valley said on May 23 their father, an RCMP officer, physically hurt them.

The child allegedly said in class their father punched, hit and threw them in a lake.

School officials contacted family and children’s services about the incident.

The Kings District RCMP was then contacted by family and children’s services about the allegations. The force contacted the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) the same day.

The team interviewed the child, their mother and their older sibling.

Erin Nauss, the team’s director, says a review of the evidence does not support reasonable and probable grounds to believe a criminal offence took place.

SiRT says the child stated their teacher had misunderstood and expressed remorse for what they said.

The child is reportedly also struggling with behavioural issues, which their family is getting support for.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

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