A Hamilton police officer charged with possessing and transmitting child sexual abuse material Wednesday previously worked in public schools.

Dave Hamilton was a school police liaison officer from 2014 to 2016, said the Hamilton Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) in a statement.

He also volunteered at an after-school badminton program at Sir Winston Churchill Secondary School.

“These allegations are deeply troubling,” the school board said. “Student safety is our highest priority, and we expect anyone who interacts with HWDSB students to uphold the strongest standards of behaviour reflective of the tenants found in our code of conduct.”

HWDSB discontinued its police liaison program in 2020. Before that, 11 police officers oversaw 196 schools. The idea was they had a “proactive presence” and assisted with investigations at the schools where they were assigned, CBC Hamilton previously reported.

Hamilton, 43, has worked as an officer for 19 years and lives in Burlington, Ont. He was charged by Halton police with one count of possessing child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and one count of transmitting such material. The alleged offences occurred between Jan. 3 and 4.

Hamilton police have suspended him without pay.

Charity ‘saddened by the news’

Hamilton was also involved in youth programs funded by ProAction Cops and Kids and his work was recognized in two of the charity’s annual reports.

ProAction provides funding to police services in Southern Ontario for skill-building programs for teens, said executive director Jean Milligan in a statement Wednesday.

“This is the first we are learning about the charges and allegations made against the officer and are saddened by the news,” she said.

Both ProAction and HWDSB directed CBC Hamilton’s other questions to Halton and Hamilton police, which said they’d not be providing more information at this time.