Cobourg Police Board and new Police Chief address Chris Leather’s past with the Nova Scotia RCMP during the 2020 mass shooting

Screenshot of RCMP Chief Super. Chris Leather testifying during the inquiry into the Nova Scotia Mass casualty incident.

By: Dan Jones, Northumberland 89.7 FM, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

The controversial policing past of Cobourg’s newest police chief is now being addressed.

The Cobourg Police Service Board Wednesday night announced that Chris Leather would take over from retiring police chief Paul VanderGraaf effective June 1.

Leather has an extensive policing career of 36 years, including 21 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Leather was the Chief Superintendent in Nova Scotia during the 2020 mass casualty incident, which left 23 people dead, including the perpetrator, while three others were injured. Leather provided statements to the media on April 19, 2020, following the massacre “I can tell you that in excess of 10 people have been killed, but the investigation is still ongoing and I expect to have more details in that regard in the coming days,” in response to a Canadian Press reporter. When pressed to explain “in excess of,” Leather responded “We don’t have a complete, uh … we’re not fully aware of what that total may be because as we’re standing here the investigation continues into areas that we’ve not yet explored across the province.” The Mass Casualty Commission Final Report stated at the time of the press conference RCMP knew of 17 deaths. The final report said “RCMP witnesses acknowledged that there were problems with the transparency and accuracy of the RCMP’s public communications in the days following the mass casualty. While they testified that they never intentionally misled the public, some of the information they provided was incorrect and other information did not fully reflect what the RCMP knew at the time.”

Days after this press briefing, Leather and other senior leaders in Nova Scotia withheld information from the public including victims names and details about the weapon used by the killer, despite RCMP officials in Ottawa calling for the release of this information.

“There were a number of questions I wasn’t prepared for … having the limited experience I had in those types of scenarios,” he told the inquiry on July 27, 2022. “That’s what led to some of the incorrect accounting. I’ll say it right now: obviously I missed the mark on more than a couple occasions.”

Leather would go on to serve as Chief Superintendent and Criminal Operations Officer for the RCMP’s Central Region (Ontario), until being hired in Cobourg.

In a press release issued Wednesday by Cobourg Police Service, Leather said, “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.”

Yet in an interview outside the Cobourg Police station Thursday, Leather said he did take accountability for his handling of information to the media in 2020. “It's in my past. It's several years ago. The organization (RCMP) and myself have done a lot to understand our response to a mass casualty event,” he explained. “I also think there has been plenty of opportunity both formally and through the Commission itself, the various investigative bodies, and the media of course, to assess, analyse and dissect what took place. I want to be forward looking. I hope the community understands that, that we all learn from that experience.”

Leather said he’s hopeful this part of his career does not impact his policing while in Cobourg. His Nova Scotia experience was disclosed to the Police Board during the due diligence process and was discussed.

The Cobourg Police Board upon learning of VandeGraaf’s retirement commenced the search for a new police chief, contracting a recruitment firm to recommend candidates. A three-person subcommittee of the Police Board was formed to oversee the hiring process. Board Chair Adam Bureau said the subcommittee spent hundreds of hours combing through candidate applications and conducting interviews before agreeing on Leather. He explained that the subcommittee did a dead dive on Leather’s involvement in the Nova Scotia mass casualty incident, including discussing that with Leather. Ultimately the Bureau stated Leather has owned his mistakes from six years ago.

“We looked at that and agreed that that was a mistake. He has owned up to it. Since that time, the RCMP has promoted him a few times,” said Bureau.

Both the recruitment firm and the Police Board viewed Leather as a strong candidate, with the Board voting unanimously in favour of the chief selection.

What made Leather attractive to the Police Board was his work with the RCMP in organized crime and drugs divisions, believing this experience, and knowledge will be an asset to Cobourg.

Bureau said Leather will need an adjustment period before implementing his vision for policing in Cobourg, however, he remarked that Leather is tough on crime. As to his full vision, the public will have to wait to see that develop.

“I think he’s going to be tough on crime. He’s going to be a great leader for the officers. I think the history and the knowledge that he has can only benefit Cobourg,” Bureau explained. “I think we really did this right.”

(With files from the Canadian Press.)