SiRT release:

The Director of the Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) has reasonable and probable grounds to believe that an off-duty RCMP Officer committed a criminal offence in relation to an incident involving a female known to him.

SiRT received the referral on December 22, 2024, from the Bridgewater Police Service regarding an incident that took place on December 20, 2024. SiRT began its investigation into the matter that day. As a result of the SiRT investigation, on January 31, 2025, Constable Reece Smith was charged with assault contrary to s. 266 of the Criminal Code.

Constable Smith will appear before the Nova Scotia Provincial Court at 141 High Street, Bridgewater, NS, on February 19, 2025, at 9:30 a.m.

As the matter is before the courts, and in consideration of the fair trial interests of the accused, SiRT will not provide further comment on the investigation.

SiRT is responsible for investigating all matters that involve death, serious injury, sexual assault and intimate partner violence or other matters of public interest that may have arisen from the actions of any police officer in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Investigations are under the direction and control of an independent civilian director, who has the sole authority to determine if charges should be laid at the conclusion of an investigation.