The Victoria Police Department says one of its officers has been charged with sexual assault.
Chief Fiona Wilson says the single charge against Const. Chris Kayiatos, 31, comes after an external investigation.
She says Kayiatos, who started with the department in 2019, has been suspended from service but enjoys the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court.
Wilson says the charges against him stem from an off-duty incident first reported to the department in April 2025 by a third-party agency.
She says that the department immediately turned the matter over to the West Shore RCMP, and the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
Wilson says the department will continue to fully co-operate with the investigation but deferred all questions about the victim and the circumstances of the incident to the RCMP.
She says the charge against the officer is serious, and recognizes that matters like this can shake the public's trust in police.
"Allegations of this nature are deeply concerning, and do not reflect the standards of professionalism and conduct expected of VicPD members,'' Wilson says.
Wilson says the department remains committed to accountability and transparency.