Calgary officer sexually assaulted strip club server then other officers lied for him: court docs

In October 2021, a group of Calgary Police Service officers were drinking at a local strip club when one of the officers sexually assaulted a female employee and the others lied about it, newly released court documents show. 

The documents — an agreed statement of facts and court transcript — were filed as part of one officer's plea to a charge of sexual assault earlier this year.

Const. Gurluv Singh was handed a conditional discharge, meaning a conviction will not be registered if he completes a period of probation.

In handing down his sentencing decision, Justice John Bascom noted Singh's actions "were spontaneous and fuelled by alcohol."

'Genuinely remorseful'

Previously an "exemplary employee of CPS," Bascom found Singh's actions were "an anomaly and out of character."

Singh's lawyer Shamsher Kothari said his client is "genuinely remorseful and takes full responsibility for his actions."

"It remains true that this is a very unfortunate situation involving actions completely out of character resulting in a particularly harmful mistake," said Kothari.

• Calgary officer charged with sexual assault after ASIRT investigation of off-duty incident

Details of what transpired at Blondies All Star Cabaret comes from the agreed statement of facts.

On Oct. 9, 2021, a "whole district team" of off-duty CPS officers were drinking and "socializing" at Blondies, a strip club in the Beltline.

Co-worker wanted body shot

The complainant worked at Blondies as a "shooter girl," selling shots of alcohol.

The woman approached a table of off-duty officers with a tray of shots. 

One of the men — who was not identified by name in the documents — touched a shooter on the tray. Because of COVID rules at the time, the staff member explained that the man now had to buy the shot.

The woman described him as "annoying."

"He did not want to purchase the shooter and instead attempted to negotiate something more entertaining than simply buying the shooter as a gift to the accused," according to the agreed statement of facts.

Victim grabbed from behind

He then asked if the shot could be consumed off some part of the woman's body, specifically from between her breasts, referring to it as a "hooter shooter."

The victim refused. 

The server finally agreed to balance the shot on her backside as she bent over. 

She communicated to the off-duty cop that there could be no physical contact.

As she balanced the shooter, Singh, who was directly behind the woman, grabbed her hips and grinded his pelvis into her. 

She stood up, causing the shooter to spill. 

Officers 'denied' physical contact

Singh "immediately disengaged contact," which lasted "less than three seconds."

According to the agreed statement of facts, Singh did not know about the agreement for no physical contact, made between the server and his colleague.

The victim left the table and told her manager about what happened.

The manager returned to the table and confronted the off-duty officers.

"The members denied that the complainant had been touched."

Surveillance video confirmed victim's story

The manager left to retrieve surveillance video and discovered it confirmed his employee's version of events.

When the manager returned to the officers' table, all four had left. 

The incident was reported. Following a two-year investigation, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) laid the charge. 

The complainant declined to write a victim impact statement for the court.

CPS confirmed Singh has a pending disciplinary hearing under Alberta's Police Act. He is suspended without pay.

ASIRT investigates when police actions result in death or injury and allegations of serious police misconduct.