Assault charge laid against Codiac RCMP officer

An RCMP officer in southeastern New Brunswick has been charged with assault causing bodily harm by Nova Scotia's Serious Incident Response Team.

The charge against Codiac Regional RCMP Const. Billy Parent-Roy, 28, was laid Thursday by the police oversight agency, which also carries out investigations in New Brunswick.

New Brunswick RCMP said in a July 2022 news release that the force had requested the agency investigate a June 29 incident with a 51-year-old man detained under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act.

The man was transported to the Shediac RCMP detachment because Codiac RCMP cells in Moncton were closed at the time.

The SIRT news release says the alleged assault happened in Shediac. The RCMP news release from July says the man was in handcuffs and leg cuffs.

"While being moved to the cell area, an altercation ensued between the man and four RCMP members," the RCMP release from July states. It said an officer was injured, but the 51-year-old man wasn't. 

New Brunswick RCMP requested SIRT investigate on July 29, a month after the alleged assault. 

RCMP say the officer was placed on administrative duties on Aug. 4. 

SIRT says Parent-Roy is scheduled to appear in Moncton provincial court on May 25.

Alonzo Wright, SIRT's director, said in an interview he couldn't offer any further details about the alleged assault because the case is now before the court. 

He said he couldn't explain why RCMP previously said the 51-year-old was uninjured, but an assault causing bodily harm charge had been laid.

"Again, I don't want to get into the specifics that have resulted from the investigation," Wright said.

"The matter is still before the courts and it has to go through the court system and we don't want to say anything that could jeopardize the case that's before the court." 

RCMP say they won't answer further questions.

It's unclear how long the 28-year-old has been a member of the RCMP.

"RCMP members are expected to hold themselves to a high moral and professional standard," Cpl. Hans Ouellette, a spokesperson for the RCMP in New Brunswick, said in a statement Thursday about the charge being laid. 

"We understand and respect the impact it can have on public trust when there is any allegation that a member has not met the standard that our communities deserve. We will continue to support any further investigation and the ongoing criminal proceedings, in order to ensure full accountability and transparency to the people of New Brunswick."

The statement said the force won't comment further given the court case. 

The Serious Incident Response Team is a civilian-led agency that investigates incidents that stem from police actions, including death, serious injury, sexual assault, domestic violence and "other matters of significant public interest." 

New Brunswick and Nova Scotia have agreed to have the agency carry out investigations in New Brunswick.  

The SIRT investigation was one of several underway into police actions in New Brunswick. One involves a man who died after being arrested by a Codiac officer in Moncton on Nov. 19, 2022.