Local OPP officer facing sex assault charges

Another week, another Ontario Provincial Police officer facing serious sexual-related charges. Const. Damien Morin, a 23-year veteran of the Sault Ste. Marie detachment, was already facing sexual assault, sexual assault causing bodily harm, and indecent exposure charges stemming from alleged incidents on Valentine’s Day involving two victims — one of which included allegations of choking or strangling — plus exposing himself at a restaurant.

Now he’s been charged with seven new counts of failing to comply with his release conditions, accused of communicating with an alleged victim and going within 100 metres of places they frequent between late July.

This comes just days after two other OPP officers from the Southern Georgian Bay detachment were charged with multiple counts of sexual assault and breach of trust and confirmed suspended with pay.

The pattern is becoming impossible to ignore — officer after officer facing these types of allegations while the public is left footing the bill through paid leave or suspension. For charges of this nature, suspension with pay needs to end. Accountability can’t start with a taxpayer-funded paycheck while victims wait for justice and the courts sort it out.

All allegations remain unproven in court.