A former RCMP officer who worked briefly in the Battlefords has been charged in British Columbia with several counts of sexual assault against minors.
Alan John Davidson, 58, was arrested March 6 for the historical sexual assaults of eight youths between 1976 and 1981.
He faces eight counts of indecent assault contrary to section 156 of the Criminal Code. Davidson is due to appear in court in Kamloops, B.C. April 3.
The B.C. Major Crimes Section arrested Davidson in Calgary, Alta. where he had been residing. He was held overnight and was released on conditions Friday morning.
According to the media release from the B.C. RCMP, Davidson was a regular member of the RCMP from February 1982 to August 1996, and was stationed in North Battleford from August 1993 to August 1996.
Davidson retired from the force in 1996 to pursue personal business opportunities, according to the RCMP.
None of the charges are alleged to have taken place in the Battlefords, and none stem from Davidson's time as a member of the RCMP. According to police, charges stem from prior to 1981 when Davidson was active coaching minor hockey and baseball in British Columbia.
According to the RCMP's news release, in Nov. 2012 an adult male contacted Burnaby, B.C. RCMP to file a report against his former minor hockey coach.
The complainant alleged that while in high school in Clearwater, B.C. during the early 1980s he was allegedly sexually assaulted by his minor hockey coach. The complainant also said it was possible others on the team had been similarly assaulted by the suspect.
Burnaby RCMP launched an investigation that would ultimately span British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The B.C. RCMP Major Crime Section took over the file. F Division in Saskatchewan was also part of the investigation.
After conducting initial interviews with possible victims and witnesses, a second individual came forward who alleged being sexually assaulted by his baseball coach.
Since the initial complaint, and after intensive investigative efforts in three provinces where the accused has resided and worked in the last 30 years, police say eight victims have come forward with similar allegations against the accused.
All incidents reported to the police are alleged to have occurred in the Thompson/Okanagan region in British Columbia. Most victims belonged to either hockey or baseball teams coached by the accused, according to police.
RCMP have provided a timeline of where Davidson has resided in the intervening years. Prior to 1981 he was located in Clearwater, B.C. He was in Regina for basic training from August 1981 - February 1982. From that point on he was posted to Coronach until December 1983, Lloydminster until April 1986, Yorkton until August of 1993 and North Battleford until August 1996, after which he lived in Alberta.
Davidson was a constable with the RCMP, confirmed Superintendent Brendan Fitzpatrick of the RCMP, operations officer with the B.C. Major Crimes Division.
Fitzpatrick also confirmed Davidson had been involved in minor sports coaching or assistant coaching in several provinces including in Saskatchewan up until 2008. Fitzpatrick did not get into specifics about which teams Davidson was involved with, but did confirm he was involved in coaching throughout his time in Saskatchewan. He also confirmed Davidson had been a baseball coach in Coronach.
The investigation of Davidson did not turn up any new allegations of sexual assault in Saskatchewan, said Fitzpatrick.
However, if something did take place, "we need to hear about it and it will be investigated very thoroughly and swiftly," he said.
All alleged victims are males under the age of 18, confirmed Fitzpatrick.
While the allegations have not been proven in court, the charges do have the RCMP taking a look at screening procedures.
Fitzpatrick said the screening process would have taken place in British Columbia and involved criminal record checks, community inquiries, suitability inquiries and so on.
With the advent of technology, screening today is far more advanced and far more rigorous, and includes such things as a polygraph test.
"We have a far wider ability to screen people from a lot further away and have a lot more information than we would have had in the 1970s," said Fitzpatrick.
The process of screening is always being refined, he said. If at any point they could possibly improve on it the "organization would definitely proceed in that direction," he said.
To assist the investigation, photos of the accused have been released by police.
As well, while charges have been laid the RCMP notes there could be other victims who would like to come forward, or witnesses with information to assist the ongoing investigation. Those individuals can contact the RCMP through a toll free tip line at 1-877-687-3377.
