RCMP in the NWT say an officer has been charged with sexually assaulting someone while off duty in the Yellowknife area.
An RCMP spokesperson identified the accused as Cpl Derek Young. The charge has yet to be proven in court.
According to NWT RCMP, the Calgary Police Service began an investigation into the allegation in March this year. (The Calgary police frequently serve as an outside agency as the NWT has no independent oversight agency for police.)
The officer was suspended with pay when the investigation began, RCMP stated, and was formally charged with sexual assault on November 13.
The accused remains suspended with pay and is due in court on January 13, 2026.
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Earlier this year, Cabin Radio reported the Calgary Police Service had been brought in to investigate an NWT RCMP officer. At the time, none of the authorities involved would confirm the basis of that investigation, the name of the officer involved, or which NWT community they work in.
“We take these allegations and our commitment to transparency very seriously. As such, we took immediate steps to ensure our accountability to the public and to preserve the integrity of this investigation,” NWT RCMP commanding officer Chief Supt Dyson Smith was quoted as saying in a Friday news release.
“Public trust is essential for the NT RCMP to effectively fulfill its mandate. NT RCMP employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that meets the rightfully high expectations of residents of the Northwest Territories.”
