Chief explains hiring of new officers; plus he critiques provincial changes to address repeat offenders

At a recent Cobourg council meeting, a debate ignited over hiring additional police officers. This led to a tense discussion about public safety and the 2024 budget. With community safety a hot topic in the council chambers and on the street, it is creating a lot of strong emotions in and outside Victoria Hall. In this interview, you will hear from Cobourg Police Chief Paul VandeGraaf. Since he arrived in 2014, the number of officers has not changed. He asked for six new officers in his 2024 budget submission. But, the Police Services Board approved only four. The Chief will shed light on his request and the resulting debates. He will also review the rest of the police budget and his thoughts on the new home for Transition House at 310 Division Street. Before that, he will talk about repeat offenders. A new provincial grant program was announced last week. Since this is one of his pet peeves, the Chief has lots to say about bail reform.