North Vancouver school district employee arrested for possessing child pornography

A North Vancouver school district employee who worked at North Vancouver’s Lynnmour Elementary is being investigated for possession and distribution of child pornography.

North Vancouver RCMP arrested the man – who does not live in North Vancouver – Monday at his home. The man was later released and the investigation is continuing, said Sgt. Peter DeVries, spokesman for the RCMP.

Police have not named the man as no charges have been laid.

In a statement, the North Vancouver School District said the employee did not work directly with students “and we would like to assure members of our community that schools are safe.”

While the man did work for the school district when he was arrested, he is “no longer an employee of the school district,” according to the statement.

“The safety and well-being of our students is the board’s paramount concern. The North Vancouver School District upholds the highest standards of conduct for all our employees, and we will continue to co-operate with the RCMP in their ongoing investigation,” read the statement.

Police would not say whether a search was conducted as part of Monday’s arrest or how the allegations came to light.

On its Facebook page, the Lynnmour parent advisory council said it was aware of a “serious police incident related to a school employee” and reassured parents that as the person is no longer working at the school “there are no continuing concerns regarding the safety of students at Lynnmour.”