An RCMP officer in Yellowknife has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.
Police charged Cpl Derek Young, 45, with one count of sexual assault in November 2025.
He pleaded not guilty to the charge in Territorial Court on Tuesday, as first reported by the CBC.
According to court records, Young is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Yellowknife in March 2025. The woman’s identity is protected by a publication ban.
RCMP said Young was off duty at the time of the alleged offence.
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According to NWT RCMP, the Calgary Police Service began investigating the allegation against Young in March 2025.
As there is no civilian police oversight body in the NWT, external police forces such as the Calgary Police Service or Alberta RCMP often investigate allegations against RCMP officers in the territory.
Young was suspended with pay when the investigation began, police said, and remained so as of November 2025.
“Public trust is essential for the NT RCMP to effectively fulfill its mandate,” NWT RCMP commanding officer Chief Supt Dyson Smith stated in a news release at the time.
“NT RCMP employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that meets the rightfully high expectations of residents of the Northwest Territories.”
Young is next scheduled to appear in court regarding the charge on April 28. A date has not yet been set for trial.
