Cobourg Police Services Board Denounces Merger Option
By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf denounced the policing study that will be on the county council agenda September 18, pointing out what he considered inaccuracies at Tuesday morning’s Cobourg Police Services Board meeting.
The Chief considers the report as biased toward the option of turning over all county policing to the OPP, especially since only Cobourg and Port Hope have their own police forces. Five lower-tier municipalities contract with the OPP for their policing, he pointed out, so any outcome does not affect them. And should they vote to proceed with examining a shift to the OPP county-wide, it would amount to their dictating terms to Cobourg and Port Hope.
VandeGraaf made a lengthy presentation to the board pointing out inaccuracies.
Other problems he highlighted included what he perceived as a pre-existing bias toward that particular option, which he based on talks with Warden Brian Ostrander. He also believes no other police service would be content to operate out of their century-old headquarters on King Street West, which means extra expenses.
VandeGraaf also noted that, in their financial calculations, they failed to include what he termed “millions and millions” of dollars in severance if the merger proceeds and as many as 50 civilian employees are laid off.
Even though the board passed an earlier motion not to co-operate with the study, VandeGraaf pointed out, they had all the stats they needed and more accuracy should have resulted.
The board passed a motion calling on Cobourg Mayor Lucas Cleveland to ask the questions Chief VandeGraaf has raised. Meanwhile, the chief announced his plans to attend the county-council meeting and, if possible, make a presentation.
