Charges laid against police officer

The province’s Serious Incident Response Team has laid two charges of assault against one member of the Cape Breton Regional Police.

Const. Kristopher Karl Planetta, 34, is facing two charges of assault.

On Oct. 21, the regional police service contacted SiRT regarding a possible assault against a woman by an officer.

Police responded to the location and, following a preliminary investigation, arrested the man.

He was released without charge on an undertaking to refrain from contact with the woman. SiRT attended and continued the investigation, conducting several interviews over the next few days.

The charges were laid Wednesday in Sydney provincial court. One relates to the incident alleged to have occurred on Oct. 21 and the second involves an incident alleged to have occurred on Feb. 19, 2017. The complainant in both charges is a 33-year-old woman.

Planetta is due to appear in provincial court in Sydney on Dec. 11.

SiRT is responsible for investigating serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia, which includes all allegations of domestic violence.

All investigations are under the direction and control of independent civilian director Felix Cacchione.