Police watchdog charges Virden RCMP officer with 3 counts of dangerous driving

An RCMP officer in Virden, Man., faces three charges of dangerous driving following an investigation by Manitoba's police watchdog.

The Independent Investigation Unit of Manitoba announced in June it had launched an investigation into Const. Kyle Trenholm for alleged incidents of dangerous driving between May 1 and June 1, 2019, the watchdog said in a news release.

The RCMP notifiedthe Independent Investigation Unit oftwo allegations of an on-duty officer illegallyspeeding in a police vehicle in the area of Virden, about 271 kilometres west of Winnipeg.

Zane Tessler, the unit's civilian director, "is satisfied there arereasonable grounds to believe criminal offences occurred," the release said.

Trenholmwas notified of the charges on Jan. 2 and was issued a summons to appearon Feb. 7 in provincial court in Virden.

Because the matter is now before the courts, the police watchdog said it will not comment further on its investigation.