Woodstock RCMP officer suspended pending investigation into stolen evidence

A New Brunswick RCMP officer has been suspended asthe province's independent police oversight agency investigates an allegation the officer stole evidence.

TheSerious Incident Response Team was asked by the RCMPon April 15 to investigate the alleged theft by the officer, who is based in Woodstock, said SIRT director Erin Nauss.

"There was a member of the provincial crime reduction unit located in Woodstock, and there was some information which indicated that there may have been some theft of evidence," Nauss saidin an interview.

SIRT is based in Nova Scotia, but opened a Fredericton office last fall following an agreement between it and the New Brunswick government, which puts it in charge of investigating potential wrong-doing byofficers in the province.

The agency is independent of government and police andis relied on to investigate matters involving death, serious injury, sexual assault or other matters of significant public interest that might have arisen from the actions of a police officer.

"Certainly, when there are allegations of this nature, of theft, potentially of evidence or of exhibits, it would undermine the public'sconfidence in policing and the administration of justice," Nauss said.

"And so we're here to lend that accountability and transparency in conducting that criminal investigation."

Naussdeclined revealing what kind of evidence was allegedly stolen or where it was allegedly stolen from.

She also declined to say when the theft allegedly happened.

Nauss said the lead investigator is close to concluding their investigation, and once that happens, SIRT will decide to either lay charges or close the case.

"I'm hopeful that we'll make a determination in the very near future," she said, adding the officer's identity will only be revealed ifSIRT decides to laycharges.

CBC News asked the New Brunswick RCMP for an interview about the alleged theft of evidence.

RCMP Cpl. Hans Ouellette saidin an email that he cannot reveal the officer's name.

The officer has been suspended with pay while SIRTconducts its investigation, Ouellette said