Ontario’s police watchdog has launched investigations into two alleged sexual assaults involving Ottawa police officers. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) says it received a complaint from a woman on Sept. 4 related to historical sexual assault allegations against an Ottawa Police Service officer. “The SIU has invoked its mandate. Three investigators have been assigned to the case,” the SIU said in an email to CTV News Ottawa. On Sept. 10, the SIU investigation became aware of an allegation involving an Ottawa Police Service officer, according to the organization. “The incident is alleged to have occurred in November of 2023,” the SIU spokesperson said. “The SIU has invoked its mandate. Three investigators have been assigned to the case.” No other information was released. “In cases involving allegations of sexual assault, the SIU, as a general matter, will not release details to the public which could potentially identify the individual alleging a sexual assault occurred or the officer who is the subject of the allegation,” the SIU said. “This is due to the release of information related to investigations of sexual assault allegations being associated with a risk of further deterring what is already an under-reported crime and undermining the heightened privacy interests of the involved parties, most emphatically, the affected persons.” In July, the SIU launched an investigation into an allegation of sexual assault against an Ottawa police officer while they were on duty. In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, the SIU said the reported incident occurred in January and “related to an alleged sexual assault involving an on-duty Ottawa Police Service officer and a woman.”
