Four female RCMP officers allege sexual assault

CTV.ca News Staff

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Four female RCMP officers are alleging they were sexually assaulted by one of their superiors, The Globe and Mail reports. They are accusing the Mounties of orchestrating a cover-up and interfering with an investigation into their complaints.

The women filed a lawsuit in Calgary on Thursday against several top RCMP officials, including commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, deputy commissioner Beverly Busson and 17 other officers.

The suit alleges the police service engaged in "coverups of the sexual assaults'' and "participated in reprisals against the women for coming forward with their complaints, including sexual harassment.''

The four officers allege they were assaulted separately by an undercover operator who works in the RCMP's criminal intelligence unit in British Columbia and trained other officers. The incidents are alleged to have taken place in Calgary between 1994 and 1997.

The women, who still work for the RCMP, began coming forward with their allegations in 1999.

They say the RCMP failed to investigate their complaints properly because top officials were worried about undermining the force's reputation.

Sgt. Jocelyn Mimeault, an RCMP spokesman, said the force could not comment on the lawsuit. However, he said the Mounties have recently made substantial changes to their complaints procedures and harassment policy.

 

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