On-duty OPP officer charged with impaired driving suspended with pay

OPP officer faces impaired driving charges after driving while on duty.

A veteran Ontario provincial police officer has been arrested and charged with impaired driving while on the job.

Chris Prout, 39, a Southern Georgian Bay OPP constable, who first joined Midland Police Service in 2009 before transferring over to the provincial police, has now been suspended with pay accused of impaired driving during a shift Thursday January 15. He is also charged with having a blood alcohol level above the legal limit.

• On-duty OPP officer charged with impaired driving suspended with pay

Police confirmed the charges in a media release Sunday, saying a parallel investigation by the OPP Professional Standards Unit is underway.

In a statement, the OPP said it “remains committed to maintaining public trust and confidence, and ensuring its members are held to the “highest standards of professionalism and accountability.”

The OPP did not provide further on-camera comment on the case including what prompted the impaired driving investigation into the constable. Police said, however, that no collision occurred.

Those who know Prout describe him as a hardworking officer. The accused is scheduled to make his first appearance in a virtual courtroom in late February. The allegations against him have not been tested in court.