Quebec police officer arrested after getting caught by ‘pedophile hunters’

A police officer in Laval, Que., has been arrested after allegedly being solicited and caught by a “pedophile hunter” group last week.

According to a report first published in Le Journal de Montréal, the male officer was solicited and caught waiting to meet up with what he thought would be a 15-year-old boy in a park on Montreal’s south shore.

The officer and the young teenager — who didn’t actually exist, his profile was being run by the group — met on the dating and hookup app Grindr, which serves the LGBTQ+ community.

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Laval police confirmed to Global News that one of their officers has been arrested and suspended with pay in connection with the incident and that an investigation is underway.

“We would like to emphasize that the events did not occur while the police officer was on duty.”

Spokesperson Laurent Arsenault added that the force could not comment on an employee’s personal file.

No charges have been filed.

The report alleges that the police officer knew the boy’s age and had engaged in sending and receiving intimate images before the meetup.

The group that set the the man up was a citizens’ group, and not affiliated with police.

Laval police would not provide any further comment or details on the case.