Assault charge laid against Vancouver special constable after jail incident

A Vancouver Police Department patch is seen in Ottawa on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby Spencer Colby

A special constable with the Vancouver Police Department has been charged with assault for a second time, the B.C. Prosecution Service says.

The charge against Vancouver special municipal Const. Omar Ahmed Flores was approved Thursday and stems from an offence that allegedly occurred on Jan. 1, 2023, at the Vancouver Police Department jail, the BCPS said in a statement announcing the charge.

“The charges were approved by an experienced Crown counsel who has no connection with the accused,” the statement reads.

“As these matters are now before the court, the BCPS will not be releasing any additional information or commenting further at this time.”

This appears to be the second assault charge laid against Ahmed Flores in connection to an incident at the Vancouver jail.

The BCPS announced in January 2024 that an assault charge had been approved against a special municipal constable of the same name, this one stemming from an incident that occurred on Jan. 7, 2023.

• Read more: Vancouver constable charged with assault at police jail

Online court records show the two files involve an accused with the same birth year, and the next court appearance for both files is scheduled for April 16 in Vancouver provincial court.

In an email, the BCPS confirmed there are two separate allegations against the same special municipal Const. Omar Ahmed Flores.

Special municipal constables serve as jail guards, traffic authorities and community safety officers in Vancouver, roles that are often viewed as a stepping stone into a full-time career in policing.

Vancouver Police Department jail guards are responsible for booking, searching, escorting and securing people held in police custody, and earn between $68,000 to $91,000 annually, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Todd Coyne