Calgary police officer charged with internet luring
Last Updated: Friday, June 12, 2009 | 6:23 PM MT
CBC News
The home of Const. Randann Sargent, who was arrested on Thursday. (CBC)A Calgary police officer has been charged with using a computer to lure a child after an investigation by a provincial agency that looks into serious allegations involving police.
Cliff Purvis, head of the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), announced the charges on Friday morning following a two-month investigation into a complaint.
The officer, Const. Randann Scott Sargent, was arrested on Thursday and charged with one count of using a computer system to communicate with a person he believed to be under the age of 18 years for the purpose of facilitating the commission of an offence.
The alleged offence took place between May 19 and June 10.
Purvis alleges that the officer used an internet chat service during that period to communicate with someone he thought was underage "for the purpose of having that person take photographs that fall within the definition of child pornography."
Four computers seized from a Calgary home during the investigation will be examined for evidence, Purvis said.
Released from custody
Sargent, 26, was released from custody on several conditions, including not using the internet and not having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18. He is due back in court on July 2.
The Alberta Integrated Child Exploitation Unit, a multi-agency investigation unit, also helped with the investigation.
Acting Calgary police Chief Jim Hornby said police received a complaint about Sargent in October, investigated and then turned the case over to ASIRT.
"I want to ensure the public that we take allegations of misconduct against our members seriously and investigate them thoroughly," he said.
Sargent has been with the Calgary police for two and a half years, most recently as a general beat officer out of the District 5 office on Temple Drive N.E.
"My understanding is that in the time he has been with us he has actually been an exemplary officer and he has not been in any difficultly with us whatsoever," said Hornby. "Until this."
Sargent is now on leave with pay. In a week, police will re-assess the situation and determine if he can go back to duties, but any work he does would have to meet conditions of his release.
Police and ASIRT are not releasing further details about the nature of the investigation.
With files from Bryan Labby
