Vancouver police officer charged with sex assault in Whistler
Ian Holliday CTV News Vancouver Published Friday, November 15, 2019 2:41PM PST Last Updated Saturday, November 16, 2019 12:01PM PST
VANCOUVER - A Vancouver police officer has been charged with sexual assault in connection to an incident that occurred in Whistler over the summer, according to RCMP.
Surrey resident Jagraj Roger Berar, 51, has been charged with sexual assault, B.C. RCMP said in a news release.
Squamish RCMP said they received a complaint on July 19 and "immediately launched an investigation."
Police said they believe the alleged assault occurred "a few days prior" to the incident, and the BC Prosecution Service said the incident happened "on or about July 15."
During their investigation, police learned that the subject of the complaint was a member of the Vancouver Police Department, RCMP said.
Mounties said they believe the assault allegations are not related to Berar's position as a police officer. They described the situation as "an isolated incident involving persons known to each other."
RCMP referred questions regarding Berar's employment to the Vancouver Police Department.
When asked, VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said in an email that Berar is "still with VPD, but he is not on active duty."
Addison declined to say how long Berar has been with the department or what his role is, saying the VPD doesn't generally provide such human resources information to the media.
Sources told CTV News Friday the victim of the alleged assault was a fellow member of the VPD.
According to the prosecution service, Berar is charged with one count of sexual assault. He is scheduled to appear in North Vancouver provincial court on Dec. 3.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.