N.S. police watchdog investigating domestic assault allegation against Mountie

Nova Scotia's police watchdog is investigating after an RCMP officer's wife said he assaulted her.

Last Sunday, the RCMP-Northeast Nova District was contacted by a woman alleging she had been assaulted and threatened by her husband, who is a member of the RCMP.

The province's independent Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) was called in by RCMP and an investigation began the same day.

According to a SIRT release, the incident happened in the couple's home on the evening of July 3.

Felix Cacchione, the organization's independent civilian director, must file a public report summarizing the result of the investigation within three months after it is finished.

Domestic assaults make up large number of SIRT investigations

A CBC report recently showed that SIRT lays more criminal charges by percentage against officers than any similar agency in the country, at 20 to 25 per cent.

Eleven of the 24 charges SIRT laid from April 2012 to March 31, 2017, were related to domestic violence.

Of the five charges laid in 2018-2019, two involved domestic violence, and one was a sexual assault charge.

Most other police watchdogs in Canada do not have a mandate to investigate allegations of domestic violence.