By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
As Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf appeared before Cobourg council Wednesday to give his last annual report prior to his pending retirement, he was pleased to report he had kept an important pledge.
“In 2019, I made a pledge – that I would leave the service better than I found it. Well, we achieved that,” VandeGraaf declared.
“I didn’t. We – council, previous council, some that have gone, some that are still with us, some who have moved away but are still interested, our fire service, our town staff – you all made that pledge become a reality.”
Councillor Adam Bureau, who also serves as Cobourg Police Services Board Chair, offered his thanks – “not just for this report but for the leadership, integrity and steadiness you have brought to this community.
“The work requires long hours, difficult judgment calls and consistent balancing of public safety and responsibility. That kind of leadership leaves a mark,” Bureau stated.
“The positive outcomes we are seeing are because of your commitment to doing the right thing, even though it wasn’t simple.”
Mayor Lucas Cleveland added his thanks. As the son of a police officer, Cleveland said he was aware of the sacrifices that have been made by VandeGraaf’s family, for which he also expressed his gratitude.
VandeGraaf noted how much he had valued the community-engagement of his job, “the opportunity to debate, to challenge, to disagree, to agree, to find some common ground is very important. I couldn’t have done it without the board support.”
He issued a challenge to his successor to make the same pledge he did in 2019.
“They will need your help and that’s the challenge to you,” he told council.
“Public safety cannot be where your finger points,” he said.
“Public is safety is what you should embrace and recognize.
“Public safety is you, you have to tell it in your voice. And damn it, we are expensive.”
