A police officer from Durham Region has been suspended without pay after being charged in a child sexual exploitation investigation in Northumberland County.
Ontario Provincial Police’s (OPP) Northumberland Detachment says on Oct. 21 they received a report regarding the sexual exploitation of a young person.
An investigation was launched in collaboration with OPP crime units from Peterborough County and Haliburton Highlands, with the help of the OPP’s Regional Support and Emergency Response teams.
As a result, search warrants were executed in Whitby and Ajax, with the assistance of Durham Regional Police Service’s (DRPS) Digital Forensics Unit.
Ontario Provincial Police say on Sunday, Tre-Jamal Hamad, 31, of Ajax, was arrested and charged with several Criminal Code charges, including one count each of possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, making sexually explicit material available to a person under 18 years of age, luring a person under 18 years of age by means of telecommunication, indecent exposure to a person under 16 years of age, and makes prints, publishes or possesses for the purpose of publication of any child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
He is also facing two counts each of making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 years of age and luring a person under 16 years of age by means of telecommunication.
The allegations have not been tested in court.
Hamad was held for a bail hearing and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.
“A publication ban has been issued and as a result, the OPP will not be able to release further information,” the OPP said in a post on X.
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Accused employed by for DRPS
In a statement provided to CTV News Toronto, DRPS confirmed that Hamad is a member of the force.
“(We take) the allegations against Constable Hamad very seriously. He has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the court proceedings,” they wrote.
“As the investigation was conducted by an external police service and the matter is now before the courts, DRPS cannot provide any further comment. Questions regarding the investigation should be directed to the OPP.”
Anyone who may have had contact with the accused or anyone who experienced similar circumstances is urged to contact Northumberland OPP at 1-888-310-1122.
