CBC News has learned that a Central Saanich Police Services officer charged with sexual assault on Tuesday has died. Several police sources say Matthew Ball died by suicide.
Death of Matthew Ball, 43, confirmed by several police sources day after Central Saanich officer was charged
Akshay Kulkarni · CBC News
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CBC News has learned that a Central Saanich Police Services (CSPS) officer charged with sexual assault on Tuesday has died.
Several police sources say Matthew Ball died by suicide Tuesday.
News of his death came one day after the 43-year-old was charged with one count each of sexual assault and breach of trust, following the completion of an investigation by the Vancouver Police Department.
Revealing their findings Tuesday, VPD Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson said Ball and another officer, Ryan Johnston, allegedly both had inappropriate sexual contact with a woman they met on duty.
Wilson told reporters the two officers each had separate relationships with a vulnerable woman in her mid-20s, who was an adult at the time of the alleged offences.
Ball was charged in relation to offences that are alleged to have happened between Feb. 1, 2019, and Oct. 31, 2023, in Central Saanich.
Wilson said that Ball, a sergeant who worked as a patrol officer when he was arrested, had served with the Calgary Police Service for around 12 years before he joined the CSPS in 2016.
Vancouver police said the department was in touch with CSPS Chief Const. Ian Lawson over the allegations, as well as the Calgary Police Service.
In a statement, the Calgary Police Service said it had been notified of the charges laid against Ball.
“We are deeply disappointed that this former member is alleged to have conducted themselves in this manner,” the statement read. “This behaviour is not reflective of the values of our service, nor the good work done by the majority of our members every day.”
Johnston was charged in relation to offences that allegedly occurred between Feb. 6 and March 8, 2020. The 40-year-old worked as a constable in the CSPS general investigation section and was hired in 2017.
Central Saanich is a municipality in Greater Victoria, about 20 kilometres north of the provincial capital. It had a population of just under 17,400 people as of the 2021 census.
Lawson said in a statement that the service had notified the Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner about the charges and an investigation by the police watchdog is now underway. The service had a strength of 28 officers, according to its website.
“It would be an understatement to say that I was shocked and saddened to learn about these allegations,” Lawson said.
He said the members had been suspended, and the service was moving to suspend them without pay after consulting with senior legal counsel.
WATCH | Wilson announces charges against two CSPS officers:
Vancouver police announce arrest of 2 Central Saanich police officers
Vancouver police Deputy Chief Fiona Wilson provides a media update on two officers with the Central Saanich Police Service who were arrested and charged following allegations of unlawful sexual contact after a police investigation.
If you or someone you know is struggling, here’s where to get help:
Canada’s Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988.
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling on the website.
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.
This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you’re worried about.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Akshay Kulkarni is an award-winning journalist who has worked at CBC British Columbia since 2021. Based in Vancouver, he is most interested in data-driven stories. You can email him at ak*************@*bc.ca.