2 Central Saanich police officers arrested and charged with sexual assault
Two officers from the Central Saanich Police Service (CSPS) have been arrested and charged with unlawful sexual contact following an investigation conducted by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). The VPD announced on Tuesday that they had launched an investigation at the request of the CSPS on October 28th.
According to a statement released by the VPD, a person came forward with information regarding two officers who were allegedly involved in unlawful sexual contact with a woman they had met while on duty. The two officers in question have been identified as Matthew Ball, aged 43, and Ryan Johnston, aged 40. Both officers have been charged with one count of sexual assault each.
Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson is scheduled to hold a press conference at 4 p.m. PT to provide more details on the case. In a statement issued prior to the news conference, Wilson expressed the gravity of the allegations, emphasizing that such misconduct erodes the public’s trust in law enforcement.
Ball is facing charges related to incidents that are said to have taken place between February 1, 2019, and October 31, 2023, in Central Saanich. Additionally, he has been charged with one count of breach of trust. Johnston, on the other hand, has been charged in connection with offenses that allegedly occurred between February 6 and March 8, 2020.
Central Saanich, located approximately 20 kilometers north of Victoria, is a municipality in Greater Victoria with a population of nearly 17,400 people as of the 2021 census. The Central Saanich Police Department, which has 28 officers and six civilian members, issued a statement on their website acknowledging the charges against the two officers.
Both Ball and Johnston were taken into custody on Tuesday morning with the assistance of the Victoria Police Department. The VPD is urging anyone with additional information pertaining to the case to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.
