A corporal with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in the Northwest Territories entered a not guilty plea to a sexual assault charge during a territorial court hearing on Tuesday.

Charge and Investigation Details

Derek Young faces the accusation stemming from an incident in Yellowknife while he was off duty. Authorities filed the charge in November 2025, following a probe that began nine months earlier.

With no independent oversight body in the region, the Calgary Police Service led the investigation into Young’s conduct.

Young remains suspended from duty with pay pending the case’s resolution.

RCMP Statement on the Matter

“We take these allegations and our commitment to transparency very seriously,” stated Dyson Smith, chief superintendent for the N.W.T. RCMP. “Public trust is essential for the N.W.T. RCMP to effectively fulfill its mandate.”

Upcoming Proceedings

Young’s next court date is scheduled for April, though no trial date has been set.