A Cobourg woman’s social media video raising concerns about the Cobourg Police has raised the ire of the Chief.
The video is just over three minutes long was recorded on Thursday, February 27, 2020 on the steps of the Cobourg Police Station in King Street.
The unknown woman said she was removed by police and put out in the cold and wind.
The woman points out in the video to a sign outside the police station that says the foyer of the police station is a Comfort Centre, which is a “emergency warming/cooling room.”
“But instead of letting a senior citizen/a woman who is not on drugs, not an alcoholic, not a prostitute, but I apparently can’t sit inside this Comfort Centre.”
“So I can only assume they want me in discomfort.”
The woman states a female officer “put me out, because it wouldn’t have looked good if a man did it.”
The officer told her the rules came from Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf.
“If this isn’t Nazi Germany tactics I don’t know what is,” claims the woman.
Video shows the woman is wearing ballerina type shoes on the front steps of the station and she states she had an appointment for an ultrasound at the hospital for her left leg.
“Here I am trying to access the Comfort Centre with no success.”
Stating officers with the service are “henchmen” and “henchwomen.”
“Let’s get everyone behind this atrocity and lets get some true justice done here.”
Chief of Police Paul VandeGraaf said watching the video raises a number of concerns with him.
“Our people at the front desk, the officers and the special constable went over and beyond to assist this woman.”
The police service encourages anyone to make connections for support through various agencies including with Northumberland County.
“In this particular case she’s decided not to leave the lobby. We need everyone to leave the lobby so we can clean and get it ready for business during the day.”
“She refused to leave. Our staff met with her, provided everything to her, including offering a drive anywhere in the area including to the County (building), taxis. Giving her everything we could possibly do for this person – but she refused all support.”
“In that particular case, we asked people that they are not just going to sit in the lobby. We want them to be connected with the proper services that are able to help them.”
“The comfort station is there for emergent care. It provides a respite during the night or extreme weather conditions.”
“After that, we really encourage people to make connections with the (Northumberland) County.”
VandeGraaf calls it, “a need to move on and access services,” but “this particular person refused to leave at all.”
“It’s not like our officers were throwing them out into the extreme cold. Our officers were providing all the essential care to get the person to the appropriate assistance the County (building) where there is assistance.”
VandeGraaf highlights officers go above and beyond their responsibility.
“As she was told, she was welcome to come back later in the day an spend the night – which she did.”
Police are trying to mirror other facilities in Northumberland County by keeping people safe overnight, but throughout the day people should access help throughout what Northumberland County offers.
“The County building has food, the County building has emergency supplies.”
“The officers tried everything. She wasn’t arrested and she wasn’t charged.”
“I don’t want there to be any, any indication that my officers aren’t empathetic or that my officers don’t care.”
“It’s insulting to refer to anything my people do and correlate it to Nazi Germany. I just won’t tolerate it.”
VandeGraaf also opens up about people who may be homeless loitering in the bus station on Albert Street an the foyer of Victoria Hall.
“We have a group of individuals who are in our community for a variety of reasons who live homeless or throughout the day don’t have anywhere else to go.”
Some individuals had moved into the bus shelter everyday.
“Such that other people couldn’t use the bus shelter for its intended purpose.”
“We heard loud and clear that people did not want to go in there while they waited for the bus.”
“We heard loud and clear that parents didn’t want to go in, or seniors didn’t want to go in to tie their skates.”
VandeGraaf met with town officials and spoke about the intended purpose of the transit shelter which is for people waiting for the transit and for people skating.
“Police once again become the social service of last resort, but again we all agreed, town by-law, CAO, that we’ll move people along during the times they are not using the shelter for its intended purpose.”
But when that happened, people were looking for somewhere else, and ended up at Victoria Hall.
“We have a group of people whose needs are not being met. It’s not a police issue. It’s a County issue and these folks needs are not being met.”
“It’s unfortunate, but in this particular case in the cold weather, they’re looking for respite. When the winds are blowing, people can come into the lobby for a couple of hours and move along. It doesn’t mean you can stretch out in the lobby chairs, and unload all your belongings.”
Recently there has been incidents of people hiding food in various places of the lobby of Victoria Hall.
“It’s a big, big break in the system and these people need help and they’re not getting it from the services that are supposed to provide it.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
