Two former police officers have been arrested as part of an investigation into child sex crimes in Rotherham in the 1990s.
South Yorkshire Police said a retired constable, now 60, has been arrested on three counts of misconduct in public office, attempted rape and indecent assault.
A spokesman for the force said on Wednesday that the former officer is being investigated after allegations of child sexual abuse involving two girls between 1995 and 1999. The ages of the alleged victims have not been disclosed.
Another former constable, now aged 50, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and indecent assault in connection with an incident in 1995-96.
The spokesperson said both the men have been granted bail pending further investigation.
He said the alleged offenses occurred while the officers, who both worked in Rotherham, were on duty.
The spokesperson said a joint operation has been set up between South Yorkshire Police and the National Crime Agency (NCA)’s Operation Stovewood to investigate whether any further suspects, victims or reported crimes are linked.
Operation Stovewood is the major NCA investigation set up in the wake of the landmark J report, which in 2014 found that at least 1,400 girls were abused by gangs of men in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013.
Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett, of South Yorkshire Police, said: “Our first priority in this case, and always, is the victims and survivors.
“Since the publication of the JAI report 10 years ago, we have built a much deeper understanding of child sexual abuse and exploitation, and will ensure that anyone reporting such crimes is treated with sensitivity, compassion and respect Go.
“If you are a victim or survivor of child sexual abuse and exploitation it is never too late to report.
“I am well aware of how difficult it can be to report such crimes, particularly when the suspects are serving or former police officers, but we are firmly committed to ensuring justice is served where necessary, in line with your wishes.”
The NCA said Operation Stovewood is the largest law enforcement operation of its kind ever conducted in the UK and is estimated to cost around £90m.
The NCA announced last year that the new charges would be handled by South Yorkshire Police rather than Operation Stovewood, saying it had identified more than 1,100 children involved in exploitation between 1997 and 2013, almost all of them girls. .
South Yorkshire Police said it has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to the latest allegations.