LETHBRIDGE, AB – The head of a local victim’s advocacy group, who’s also a retired Lethbridge Police Inspector, has resigned after one of his clients — a domestic violence survivor — reported she felt forced into a sexual relationship.
The LPS, where Bill Kaye spent 35 years until his retirement in 2014, had previously insisted on investigating the sexual assault complaint internally, according to the CBC.
However, the LPS says this is inaccurate and it never “insisted” on investigating the complaint. The police service says it encouraged the woman to file a complaint and advised her she could do so with any law enforcement agency if she did not feel comfortable dealing with Lethbridge Police.
The LPS also says contrary to what has been reported by the CBC, Inspector Jason Walper was never designated as the investigator, adding he is in charge of the LPS Criminal Investigation Division and as such does not actively conduct any specific investigations.
The woman says Kaye initiated an unwelcome sexual relationship with her while she was a client of his with the local Domestic Violence Action Team in 2018.
Kaye resigned three weeks ago as program coordinator and co-chair of the action team and also stepped down as a board member of the Chinook Sexual Assault Centre within just days of the complaint being raised with the agencies.
He has not been charged but Coaldale RCMP recently agreed to complete an investigation.
The CBC says it’s reviewed several text messages and emails between the complainant and Kaye that confirm there was a sexual relationship.
No further comment is expected to be provided by the LPS.
