Cobourg police will have a veteran law enforcement officer at the helm as of June 1.
Cobourg’s police service board announced on Wednesday (May 20) that it has selected Chris Leather, chief superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), as the 14th chief of the Cobourg Police Service.
Leather has more than 36 years of policing experience, including 15 years with York Regional Police and 21 years with the RCMP.
In his current role as chief superintendent and criminal operations officer for the RCMP’s central region (Ontario), Leather provided executive leadership for major criminal investigations and federal policing operations relating to organized crime, national security, cybercrime, financial crime, sensitive and international investigations, and border integrity, and also oversaw significant operational responsibilities while leading integrated policing partnerships across Ontario.
“Chief-Designate Leather brings experience and a demonstrated commitment to public safety, accountability, and collaborative community partnerships that reflect the values central to policing in Cobourg,” said police board Adam Bureau in a media release. “The board looks forward to working closely with Chief-Designate Leather as we continue to support a professional, responsive, and community-focused police service.”
Leather began his policing career in 1990 as a member of York Regional Police, serving as a general duty member and in several plain clothes units, the provincial biker enforcement unit, and the York Regional Police hold up squad.
Leather was seconded to an intelligence unit of the RCMP in 2001, and joined the RCMP in 2004, where he worked in intelligence in Ontario as well as the RCMP’s provincial standards unit. He was promoted to inspector in 2014 and to superintendent in 2017, when he assumed the role of commander of serious and organized crime and the combined special forces enforcement unit in the GTA.
In 2019, he served as acting commanding officer in Nova Scotia and was involved in the response to Canada’s deadliest shooting rampage, when 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman — disguised as an RCMP officer and driving a replica RCMP cruiser — killed 22 people, including RCMP Constable Heidi Stevenson, in April 2020.
Leather also led strategic modernization initiatives at RCMP National Headquarters. According to the media release, he “is recognized for building high-performing teams, strengthening relationships with government and community partners, and advancing policing approaches grounded in professionalism, transparency, and public trust.”
Leather is taking on Cobourg’s police chief role from Paul VandeGraaf, who announced last December that he would be retiring in June after 35 years in policing.
“I am honoured to have the opportunity to serve as chief of the Cobourg Police Service and to continue the strong tradition of professional, community-focused policing established within the service,” Chief-Designate Leather said. “I want to recognize Chief Paul VandeGraaf and the dedicated members whose commitment and professionalism have earned the trust and respect of the community.”
“I look forward to working closely with the Police Service Board, our policing partners, and the residents of Cobourg to advance public safety, strengthen community engagement, support the well-being of our members, and ensure the service continues to meet the evolving needs of the community with accountability, compassion, and professionalism.”
