RCMP Const. Jeffrey Rae Gillis charged with assault

An Island RCMP officer has been charged with assault stemming fromtwo separate incidents that occurred while the officer was off-duty.

Cpl. Scott Stevenson says RCMPwere informed of the charges againstConst. Jeffrey RaeGillisby Charlottetown Police as soon as the constablewas arrested and charged on Feb. 15.

According to court documents, Gillisis accused ofcommittingtwo separate assaults in February; one on Feb.11 and another on Feb. 14.The 43-year-old is also charged with uttering threats.

According to Stevenson, Gillis was immediately suspended, with pay, pending the outcome of the court case and an internal code-of conduct investigation by RCMP.

Code-of-conduct investigation

"Members of the RCMPare expected to behave or conduct themselves at a certain level. Any contraventions of any criminal act or provincial statutes will result in a code-of-conduct investigation," Stevenson said. "It's just another avenue we have, a safeguard to the public to see that we're not above the law, or we're accountable."

He said the fact that the member was off duty has no bearing on the code-of-conductinvestigation or any possible penalties or sanctions.

Stevenson says penaltiesresulting from the RCMP code-of-conduct investigation can range from written or verbal reprimands, to suspension, fines of loss of pay, down to dismissal from the force.

"I can honestly say that as a member of the RCMP that we're disappointed to hear something like this. Thankfully, these types of situations don't happen very often," Stevenson said.

There is one alleged victim in both cases, who can't be named because of a publication ban.

Gillis is not in custody, and is scheduled to appear in court on May 9 to enter a plea.