A Burnaby RCMP officer with 16 years of police experience has been charged with assault in connection with an offduty incident that occurred in a Langley shopping mall parking lot on Dec. 31, 2011.

Const. Harinder Paul Singh Pabla is facing one count of assault and is currently suspended from duty.

The RCMP is also conducting a parallel and ongoing code of conduct investigation into this incident.

"RCMP members are accountable for their actions both on-and off-duty," Burnaby RCMP Supt. Derren Lench said in a press release.

"Like anyone else that has been charged with an offence, he will have the opportunity to respond to the charge in court," Lench wrote.

Pabla is scheduled to make his next court appearance in Surrey on July 3.

- Alfie Lau is a Burnaby Now reporter