Former Saskatoon police officer pleads guilty to assaulting colleague at off-duty party

A former Saskatoon police officer has pleaded guilty to assaulting a junior colleague at an off-duty gathering. Stacey Hein reports.

A former Saskatoon police officer who pleaded guilty to assaulting a junior colleague at an off-duty gathering has received a conditional discharge that will leave him without a criminal record if he completes a year of probation.

Former constable Dylan Kemp appeared in Saskatoon provincial court Thursday, where Judge Morris Baniak accepted a joint sentencing submission from the Crown and defence.

Kemp was charged with assault following a backyard party at his home on Sept. 14, 2024.

An agreed statement of facts read in court said Kemp hosted several Saskatoon Police Service members, along with friends and family, and was among the most intoxicated.

It said that at one point, a junior female officer went inside to use the washroom, where Kemp put his hand on her throat and asked if she liked it. She pushed him away and, after a brief altercation, went outside.

He then approached her again and, in another physical altercation, wrapped his legs around her waist, squeezing and asking if she could breathe. She told him to stop and he complied.

In a third encounter, he struck her in the nose.

The incident was reported days later after a co-worker noticed she had a black eye.

The Saskatchewan Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) began investigating the incident on Sept. 19, 2024, according to a report. The civilian-led agency investigates cases where serious injury or death may have resulted from police actions.

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SIRT laid charges on Oct. 30, 2025.

In court Thursday, Crown prosecutor Chris Browne said the only aggravating factor was Kemp’s position of trust in relation to the officer, who was a special constable at the time. He added Kemp is no longer eligible to serve with the Saskatoon Police Service, which he said is a significant consequence. No victim impact statement was submitted.

Defence lawyer Brian Pfefferle said Kemp developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after witnessing a series of traumatic events between 2019 and 2024, including a child mauled by a dog and a domestic homicide involving a mutilated victim.

Pfefferle also said Kemp was involved in a police-related shooting in 2024. He said Kemp would drink heavily after work and was later diagnosed with depression and alcohol use disorder, but has been sober since September 2024 and is seeking support for his mental health.

He also referenced Kemp’s work co-hosting The Quiet Fight, a podcast focused on men’s mental health.

Kemp’s conditional discharge includes conditions requiring him to report to a probation officer, not possess or consume alcohol or non-prescribed cannabis, and have no contact with the victim.

“I think it’s an incident that Mr. Kemp will regret for a long, long time,” Baniak said.

At the end of the hearing, Kemp said he wanted to apologize to the officer, saying he had invited her for a night of safety and enjoyment and that was not the case.

“This is a cautionary tale,” he said, adding that he will continue to advocate for people to take care of themselves.