Former Saskatchewan RCMP officer pleads guilty to breach of trust

A former Saskatchewan RCMP officer pleaded guilty to breach of trust by a public officer in Court of Queen’s Bench in Battleford on Monday.

Wade Chitrena accessed at least one sensitive image of an adult female inmate while she was in custody in 2018.

Chitrena worked at the Buffalo Narrows detachment at the time of the incident in October of that year. He was later charged with breach of trust. The RCMP said he ceased to be an RCMP officer last November.

According to a previous police report, an RCMP investigation determined at least one still image was copied and printed from a security camera video. The camera was positioned in the cellblock area of the Buffalo Narrows detachment.

Chitrena, the Crown prosecutor, the defence lawyer and the judge appeared by phone in court on Monday.

As a result of Chitrena’s guilty plea, a trial in the case scheduled to start Monday did not proceed.

The Crown prosecutor and defence counsel will make their sentencing submissions to the court on March 10.