(Today’s Northumberland file photo)
One step forward, two steps back for Cobourg Police Service and transparency.
With the latest release issued by the Cobourg Police Service it goes into detail about the incidents along with quotes from the Chief and head of the two school boards.
What stood out after reading the release is it shows the swatting incidents are not just contained to schools.
During the past seven days there have been four reports of swatting at Cobourg schools.
Since Monday, April 13, 2026 there have been three at St. Mary Secondary Catholic School and one at CR Gummow.
Cobourg Police seems to be catching up with their timely releases.
The first swatting at St. Mary was brutal. With the release coming out 24-hours after the incident.
A failing grade for the service – again.
Since then, the service has learned that informing the public in a timely fashion is a necessity.
And just when you think things are improving – the service strikes out again.
In a press release on Monday afternoon, police stated something very few people in the community were aware of.
For days, residents were led to believe that a string of swatting incidents was confined to local schools—primarily St. Mary Catholic Secondary School and C.R. Gummow Public School. Understandably, that alone was alarming. But now, police have revealed that these incidents have also targeted residences and businesses—and have been happening longer than first disclosed.
That information didn’t come in real time. It didn’t come with urgency. It came later, buried in a broader update, without the details the public deserves.
From that one has to wonder because of lack of releases of previous serious crimes – what else aren’t they releasing?
Obvious questions arise with the latest information.
When?
Where?
What businesses?
What was the response by police?
Were other emergency services called for standby?
It’s shocking that nothing had been released before Monday that residences and businesses were targeted. Worst of all – the way the release is written, it’s more than one residence and business.
Where the businesses big box stores, or smaller?
One of the key values in a service is transparency.
Cobourg Police has been anything but transparent.
This is another example of holding back information from the public.
It’s doubtful the service will learn at this point.
Citizens deserve better.
We can only hope for the sake of the residents that pay the salaries of the Chief and the media relations office that things improve after June.
Is it to much to ask to be informed of what’s happening in our town in a timely manner?
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
