Saskatchewan’s RCMP is moving ahead with an internal investigation of one of its own officers.
The RCMP suspended Constable Aiden Pratchett the day after investigators seized his devices in the northern community of Fond du Lac in October of 2014, as part of a child pornography investigation. He was removed from the community after charges were laid two months later.
While Pratchett’s case has been going through the courts, more has been going on behind the scenes.
Saskatchewan RCMP is now revealing Pratchett has been the subject of a code of conduct investigation since Oct. 17, 2014, which is the same day of his initial suspension.
At the time, Pratchett had been serving in Fond du Lac, and with the RCMP since 2010. Currently, Pratchett is awaiting a verdict in his recent trial for possession and accessing child pornography.
The RCMP’s internal investigation has progressed in the meantime; in March the RCMP decided to withhold Pratchett’s pay while he’s suspended.
RCMP spokeswoman Mandy Maier explains what the next step will be.
“At this point the process will continue with an adjudication board hearing, which is open to the public but a date has not been set at this time,” she said.
Under the RCMP Act, a conduct hearing is held when a member’s dismissal is being sought.
Maier says the code of conduct investigation is separate from criminal proceedings.
“These proceedings are continuing through the RCMP conduct process, which falls under the RCMP Act. So it’s separate and apart from the criminal code,” she said.
In a video shown during Pratchett’s criminal trial, he told his wife he was concerned about his future with the RCMP due to the child pornography investigation.
“These charges are like tar,” Pratchett said to his wife in an interview-room video, which was taken when Pratchett was first detained last October.
In a video with the child porn case’s lead investigator, Pratt said he was greatly concerned about the RCMP’s reaction: “I know how the RCMP reacts when it knows someone’s being investigated.”
Recent internal RCMP cases to spark public attention include a northern Manitoba RCMP officer who took a woman out of custody while off-duty, and pursued a ‘private relationship’ with her. In that case, the officer received a seven days suspension and was reprimanded after admitting guilt to the abuse of power.
A judge will rule on Pratchett’s court case in late February.