Alleged victim in Regina police snooping case says she’ll ‘never feel safe’ again

Constable Clinton Duquette’s first court appearance on Monday was brief, and the Regina police officer was not present as the case was adjourned until July.

The Regina cop is charged with violating the Saskatchewan’s Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The charge isn’t criminal, but carries potential penalties of up to a year in jail or up to $50,000 in fines.

According to a report from the provincial privacy commissioner, Duquette used police databases to access the private information of his ex girlfriend, as well as her family members and friends, a total of 67 times between 2021 and 2023.

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The alleged victim sat in the courtroom gallery as Duquette’s lawyer, Jessica Bihun, appeared on his behalf. The case was quickly adjourned to July 20 by Provincial Court Judge Carol Snell in order to allow the defence time to receive and review disclosure materials.

Duquette’s alleged victim, who is not being named by 980 CJME in order to protect her privacy, said it wasn’t surprising the police officer didn’t attend the appearance personally.

“It shows zero responsibility and zero accountability on his part,” the woman said.

Duquette, who has been a Regina police officer for 10 years, was previously given a one-day suspension without pay and was required to re-take privacy training when the police force learned he had allegedly breached the privacy rules.

The alleged victim called the single-day suspension “a joke,” and said penalties need to be more severe to ensure officers follow the rules.

“This needs to send a clear message to the Regina police that they need to do better,” she said. “They need to protect the public, and they’re not doing that, so there needs to be harsher punishment.”

The woman said the situation has been difficult for her, and has damaged both her emotional and mental health.

She alleged that Duquette used the databases to find her and isolate her from other partners, her friends and her family.

“I will never feel safe for the rest of my life,” she said.

Duquette is still an active officer with the Regina Police Service, and still has access to police databases. Police chief Lorilee Davies said a permanent ban on his access to police databases would be the equivalent of firing him, but noted that he will be subject to random audits.

Regina police chief Lorilee Davies said a permanent ban on constable Clinton Duquette’s access to police databases would be the equivalent of firing him. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

Davies said the police force was able to implement nine of the privacy commissioner’s 11 recommendations relating to police officers breaching the public’s privacy.

In November, Regina police sergeant Robert Semenchuck pleaded guilty to to breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer after inappropriately accessing 33 victims’ private information using police databases, with the intent to pursue personal and intimate relationships with them.

In February, he was handed a two-year community sentence, with the first six months to be served on house arrest, followed by three years of probation.

Bridgette Cyr, one of Semenchuck’s victims, said she felt the sentence wasn’t severe enough.

“I was expecting more,” Cyr said. “I think that 33 women deserve more. We were victimized, we were stalked, we were taken advantage of.”

On Monday, Duquette’s alleged victim pointed towards the privacy commissioner’s report, which said Duquette bypassed all safeguards to prevent him from accessing her information.

“Nobody actually can govern the police,” she said. “Nobody can make them have to change, and they clearly know that. This has been going on for years and years and years, and there has been zero change.”