A police officer who has worked 19 years with the Hamilton Police Service has been charged for allegedly possessing and transmitting material that shows child sexual abuse and exploitation.

In a news release Wednesday afternoon, Hamilton police said Const. Dave Hamilton, 43, was charged by Halton police. He has been suspended without pay and is in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton, Ont.  

The officer was arrested and charged on Feb. 25, the Halton Regional Police Service said in its own news release.

He lives in Burlington, Ont., and the charges are in relation to offences that allegedly occurred there between Jan. 3 and 4, Halton police said.

Hamilton faces one count of possessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and one count of transmitting such material.

Both police services said they will not provide further updates but asked anyone with related information to contact Det. Sgt. Todd Martin of the Halton police. 

Chiefs can now suspend officers without pay if they’ve been charged with a serious off-duty offence that could also lead to their firing — a new rule that came into effect in 2024 under the Community Safety and Policing Act.

Before that change, officers could only be suspended without pay if they were both convicted of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment.

More to come.