Computers and electronic devices have been seized from the home of a member of the Calgary Police Service in connection to an investigation into child pornography.
Thomas Buttle, 33, is charged with possessing, accessing, and making available child pornography.
An investigation was launched in January after ALERT’s Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) Unit received information from RCMP about a social media user who was uploading sexually explicit material involving children.
The investigation revealed that the user was a police officer and Buttle was arrested by ICE officers on Thursday.
Calgary police issued a statement on the charges on Friday afternoon saying that Buttle has been with the force for four years and that he has been placed on administrative leave.
The Calgary Police Service takes these charges very seriously. These allegations have a significant impact on the trust and confidence that the public has in our Service. The importance of this trust and confidence is not lost on our members who work tirelessly to serve Calgarians to the best of their ability. Allegations such as these not only have a profound impact on the community, but also other members of the Service who work so hard to build the reputation we need to best serve our city.
Buttle was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on March 21, 2018.
Police are encouraging anyone with information about this case to come forward and contact police. Anyone with information about this investigation or any child exploitation offence is encouraged to contact local police or cybertip.ca.
