3 Calgary Police Officers Charged Following Sexual Misconduct Investigations

A Calgary Police Service officer is pictured in Calgary, Alta., on July 4, 2025. The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh

Three Calgary police officers are facing charges in connection with two separate but linked investigations into sexual misconduct.

An investigation was initiated in January 2025 after allegations surfaced that an officer who met women while on duty had engaged in, or attempted to engage in, sexual contact with them both during and outside of work hours, Calgary Police Service Chief Katie McLellan told reporters during a Nov. 27 press conference.

Const. Adam McBride has been charged with four counts of breach of trust in connection with the investigation and is set to appear in court on Jan. 7. McBride was relieved from duty without pay on Nov. 26 and has since resigned from the Calgary Police Service, McLellan said. He had been a member of the force for 14 years.

McLellan said the investigation also implicated a second officer who is accused of encouraging and facilitating the alleged actions of McBride. Const. David Harms is facing two breach of trust charges and has been relieved of his duties without pay. He is also scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 7.

Direct messages were discovered during the course of the investigation that included a photo of a partially unclothed woman. The discovery prompted the second investigation.

Calgary Police Chief Strategy Officer and general counsel Katherine Murphy confirmed the image was of a “vulnerable woman who was in custody at the time” and McLellan said the image was shared without her consent.

Const. Tyler Hobberstad has been charged with one count of breach of trust and one count of distribution of an intimate image. The six-year member was relieved from duty without pay and will next appear in court on Jan. 8.

The chief said the investigation has uncovered six adult female victims but she noted that police are continuing to explore the possibility of additional victims. One of the women was the complainant in an aggravated assault case, police confirmed.

‘Disappointment and Embarrassment’

McLellan described the press conference to announce the charges as an attempt to be transparent with the public.

She said while she made the announcement of the charges against the three officers with “disappointment and embarrassment,” she said Calgary Police takes such matters “extremely seriously.”

“This investigation and sharing this news with you today… reflects our commitment to thorough and transparent accountability,” she said. “We understand that serious allegations involving the conduct of serving members, even while off duty, can significantly affect the public’s trust and confidence in us. That trust is foundational, and we remain steadfast in upholding the highest standards of conduct for our members and earning the confidence of the community we serve.”

The investigation was launched in January by the force’s professional standards section with oversight by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team and the alleged incidents go back to May 2023 and continued into March of this year, Murphy said.

Murphy said breach-of-trust charges are relatively uncommon because three key elements need to be met for the charge to be laid.

The person being charged must be a public official, the alleged actions must have been performed in relation to the duties of the accused, and it must be alleged that the accused has violated the expectations required of them in relation to their role “in a serious or marked way.”

“We laid these charges when we determined we had reasonable grounds to believe that those elements of these offences were met,” Murphy said.

The authorities are asking anyone who believes they have experienced inappropriate personal contact from a police officer to report the incident to the professional standards section of Calgary Police or to submit an online report.