Durham cop charged after failing to provide medical assistance

A Durham police officer has been charged by the service's professional standards unit after allegedly failing to provide medical assistance to a person in distress.

Whileattending a call for service in March, the officer failed to render medical assistance or first aid to a person in medical distress, according to a Durham Regional Police Servicenews release on Monday.

"The person was left in the care of a family member who later sought medical assistance," the release said. They were taken to hospital and were later discharged.

The officer has been charged with failing to provide the necessaries of life, the release said.

He was released on an undertaking and is currently suspended from duty with pay.

The officer has been a member ofDurham policefor 23 years, the release said.

Police said they began an investigation into his conduct after a regular proactivereview of calls for service.

CBC Toronto has reached out to Durham police for more information.