The Calgary police force has launched an internal investigation after a civilian staffer was charged in connection with a pair of marijuana grow operations raided this week.

Supt. Ken Marchant said the force will conduct a review of the conduct of Lan Nguyen Dang, but does not believe its security was breached.

"She had limited access to our internal service duties," Marchant said. "She would have no access outside her duties."

The force said Wednesday that Dang, 30, who worked for the force as a customer service administrator for the facilities section, was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, cultivation of a controlled substance, and theft of utilities and water.

Also facing the same charges is Van Thanh Pham, 36, who is not connected to the police force.

Dang has been suspended without pay.

"Certainly it comes as a surprise," Marchant said. "It's very unusual. Certainly the Calgary Police Service, we pride ourselves on having very professional people both civilian and sworn. It's disappointing."

He said the police force believes the level of security checks on employees is sufficient.

Sgt. Darren Cave described the grow-op, raided Tuesday, as "certainly organized with a level of sophistication," but said the real shock came from finding out who was involved.

"Upon arriving into that environment, and seeing that grow operation and the occupants, it was one of those situations where we were surprised," he said.

On Tuesday, a joint investigative team of Calgary police and RCMP searched two homes in Chestermere, east of Calgary, and found a sophisticated grow operation with more than 400 marijuana plants and nearly 32 kilograms of the packaged drug. They estimated the seizure to have a street value of $1.4 million.

Later that day, officers searched a third home in southeast Calgary and found a hydroponic marijuana growing operation. They seized 430 plants with an estimated street value of $535,000.

Police said they believe two of the grow-ops are connected and continue to investigate.

Dang and Pham are scheduled to appear in Strathmore provincial court on June 17.