Grande Prairie peace officer charged with child pornography possession

Peace officer facing child exploitation charges A Grande Prairie peace officer has been charged with child pornography possession.

A peace officer who works for the City of Grande Prairie has been charged with child sexual exploitation offences, police announced on Wednesday.

Daniel Emond, 32, was arrested on Sept. 21 and charged with accessing and distributing child pornography.

The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams' (ALERT) Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit began an investigation into Emond in January after a tip from the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre that he was allegedly sharing child exploitation materials through social media.

A number of computers and electronic devices were seized as part of Emond's arrest.

"As a community, we need to understand internet child exploitation has changed the frame of reference for how we protect children and teens," Sgt. Kerry Shima of ICE said in a Wednesday release. "The internet is infinite and constantly evolving; this means anyone, at any time, and anywhere will be taking advantage of children for their own sexual gratification."

Emond has been released from custody on a number of conditions and is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Oct. 11.