A Durham Regional Police officer has resigned from a Kawartha Lakes hockey camp after previously pleading guilty to two assault charges involving children, prompting renewed scrutiny of staff screening rules at summer camps in Ontario.
The Durham police officer, Bradley Gibbs, had been working as a lead instructor with KL Hockey during its July and August programming in Kawartha Lakes. According to the reported court information, Gibbs pleaded guilty in April to two counts of assault involving children who were known to him. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September. A court-ordered publication ban prevents the release of information that could identify the victims, who are now adults.
Gibbs is also a former junior hockey player who spent time with the Lindsay Muskies and appeared in games with the Peterborough Petes as an affiliated player. He was one of the founders of KL Hockey and had continued working with young campers during the summer.
Gibbs resigns from KL Hockey
According to an email sent to parents and reported by CBC News, Gibbs resigned from KL Hockey on Aug. 12, one day after the broadcaster contacted both him and the camp for comment.
Camp leadership told families that it had been aware of a personal legal matter involving Gibbs and had supported him during the previous year. However, the correspondence did not clarify whether camp officials knew about the guilty pleas before he continued working with children during the summer.
In a statement reported by CBC, camp director Amanda Tayles said the organization remained focused on providing a safe, supportive and positive environment for its players. Gibbs also provided a letter to families in which he said he had accepted responsibility for his actions and was stepping away to protect the camp’s integrity.
KL Hockey operates day camps at the Lindsay Recreation Complex and overnight programming connected with Camp Endobanah. Its programs serve children across several age groups.
Durham police officer remains in administrative role
Although the conduct that led to the guilty pleas was not described as connected to his police duties or camp operations, Gibbs remains employed by Durham Regional Police Service.
A DRPS spokesperson told reporters that Gibbs had been moved away from frontline patrol duties and was working in an administrative role. The police service said any potential internal disciplinary process would be informed by the outcome of the criminal proceedings, including sentencing.
The Durham connection makes the case relevant to residents across the region even though KL Hockey operates in Kawartha Lakes rather than within one of Durham’s municipalities.
Ontario faces questions over camp screening
The case has also drawn attention to Ontario’s rules for summer camps. The supplied reporting states that there is no provincewide requirement forcing all summer camps to obtain criminal record checks or vulnerable sector checks for employees working with children.
Following media coverage of the case, the Ontario government said it intended to make criminal background checks mandatory for summer camps, increasing discussion about whether existing voluntary screening standards provide enough protection for children.
The situation involving the Durham police officer is expected to remain under scrutiny as Gibbs approaches sentencing and as Durham Regional Police determines whether further employment-related action is warranted.
For families, the case has also raised broader questions about how camps vet instructors, what information organizations should consider when staff members face criminal proceedings, and whether stronger provincial standards are needed for programs serving children.
