8:36 AM PT -- Maui Police Chief John Pelletier tells TMZ ... "I have no connections whatsoever to any individuals named in the lawsuit. The allegations suggesting his involvement are entirely unfounded. I am confident that the evidence will demonstrate these claims to be false and will expose those who are deliberately trying to manipulate the legal system to spread misleading narratives."

In 2018, while serving as a Captain in Las Vegas, I was honored by the Rape Crisis Center for his exceptional leadership and commitment to community safety, specifically through his role as a champion of the Stay S.A.F.E. program dedicated to sexual assault prevention.

These baseless allegations not only are wrong but also show a lack of respect for victims of abuse, whose voices deserve to be heard and supported with compassion and integrity.

Diddy's alleged sexual assaults were aided by Maui's Chief of Police ... this according to an amended lawsuit that also named NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and influencer Druski as co-conspirators.

Here's the deal ... a lawsuit claims John Pelletier, while on a trip to California, pretended to be a local sheriff in 2018 after a woman named Ashley Parham claims Diddy and others "violently gang raped" her.

If you don't remember ... Parham claims she was set up by Shane Pearce, a mutual alleged associate of Diddy's, to be sexually assaulted at his apartment after she made a comment on a phone call with the rap mogul about how he murdered Tupac.

She says she went over to Pearce's apartment and sat down to watch a movie ... Diddy and his entourage allegedly arrived and raped her.

Parham claims she eventually fled the house and a neighbor called the police ... which is when Pelletier -- who was allegedly working security for Diddy at the time of this alleged incident -- told Parham and her neighbor they had received several noise complaints, and instructed Parham to go home.

She says Pelletier did not offer to take her home, call for emergency services like an ambulance, or offer to take her to a hospital, and he did not offer to help her recover her clothing or other personal effects from the apartment where she was allegedly raped.

As we told you ... Pelletier -- who became Maui's chief of police in 2021 -- is far from the only person named in the amended complaint, which also leveled accusations at NFL wide receiver Beckham.

OBJ -- who Parham claims participated in the rape -- has blasted the claims ... calling them "stupid" and says he's never been to the city where the alleged rape is said to have happened. Diddy's team has also denied the allegations.

Worth noting ... Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen has called on Pelletier to be put on administrative leave pending an investigation due to the lawsuit. Pelletier denied all allegations against him in a statement released to local Hawaii media.