Windsor police officer charged with criminal harassment, suspended with pay

A Windsor police officer has been arrested and charged with harassment just a day after it became public another officer was charged in an off-duty incident.

Const. Joshua Smith was arrested on Monday, Sept. 25. He has beencharged with criminal harassment, indecent communications and harassing communications, Windsor police saidin a media releaseWednesday.

Police say Smith and the victim are known to each other and the alleged harassment occurred off-duty.

Smith has been suspended with pay while under investigation, police said.

Smith has been a member of the Windsor Police Service for five years. Police say they will not release further information on Smith's arrest, and did not specify when the alleged harassment occurred.

Smith is expected to appear in court on Nov. 3.

It comes after Windsor police Sgt. Deler Bal was charged over the weekend with three counts of assault related to an off-duty incident while members of the force were in Ottawa over the weekend.

At an unrelated press conference on Wednesday morning, Drew Dilkens, Windsor mayor and chair of the police services board,said he could not comment on Bal's charges.

"Clearly there is a matter before the courts that involves anofficer and Iam not able to speak to that," Dilkens said.

When pressed, Dilkens said the police board has not met since the alleged incident involving Bal.