Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Another officer has been caught snooping through private information in the files of the Regina Police Service, according to a report from the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.
The conduct by Const. Clinton Duquette was so egregious and the police force’s response so minimal that privacy commissioner Grace Hession David has taken the rare step of referring the breach to the Attorney General for prosecution.
The Ministry of Justice said public prosecutions would not confirm or deny whether it is reviewing or received a specific file.
In a news conference on Thursday, Police chief Lorilee Davies said the RPS is still reviewing the commissioner’s findings and said she had spoken with Duquette several hours before.
“I would like to say that we are all perfect, but unfortunately we are imperfect humans. He acknowledged he’s made mistakes. He is very remorseful,” said Davies.
Access information 67 times
According to the privacy commissioner’s office, over the course of more than three years, Duquette accessed the personal information of six people, including his former partner, the former partner’s sibling and the former partner’s previous partner, along with other individuals.
In total, between 2021 and 2024, Duquette inappropriately accessed the personal information 67 times.
The details Duquette viewed included fingerprint serial numbers and individuals’ role in investigations, including whether they were a complainant, witness, victim, suspect or reporter, and whether a person was ever charged.
The 10-year veteran of the police service overrode the safeguards in place that were meant to stop that from happening, according to the privacy commissioner’s report.
Davies confirmed that Duquette was suspended a single day without pay as a result of the incident.
The constable also participated in mandatory ethics and accountability training as well as access and privacy training. He is also subject to random audits of his database searches for a minimum of two years.
According to Davies, the Regina police professional standards branch was made aware of the breaches in the summer of 2024.
Regina police chief Lorilee Davies speaks with media during a news conference on Dec. 18, 2025 (Alexander Quon/CBC)
The breaches were found when that branch was investigating Duquette on an unrelated matter, according to commissioner Hession David.
The privacy commissioner was notified in June 2025.
Regina police told the privacy commissioner that Duquette remained an active officer and his access to the police database was not revoked because he needs it for his duties.
Police never offered a motivation for the breaches, but “explained that the police officer was ‘going through some personal issues during the time period which led [him] to making poor decisions,'” according to the report.
Zero-tolerance recommended
Privacy commissioner Hession David said that does not fly, and that Duquette’s access to the information system should be permanently revoked.
She also recommended that the RPS take a “zero-tolerance” policy on data breaches.
That is something Davies said she was uncertain about.
“The practicality of our job is that our employees here need to have access to those databases to be able to do their work and so I don’t know what zero-tolerance looks like,” Davies said.
According to the 2024 edition of Regina public accounts, Duquette’s 2024 salary was $125,701.
The incident is reminiscent of another Regina Police Service member. Sgt. Robert Eric Semenchuck was charged after using police databases to pursue intimate and personal relationships with women.
He entered a guilty plea to one count at Regina Provincial Court earlier this year. Police officials confirmed Semenchuck resigned from the force effective April 21, 2025.
Davies said the two incidents are not comparable.
“The two cases are similar only in the fact that there was an access to information, but the circumstances around each are remarkably different,” she said.