North Bay Police Service deputy chief Paul Cook jokingly waits for Chief George Berrigan to vacate his seat. Cook will be the service's next chief, taking over from Berrigan, who announced his retirement several months ago.
North Bay Police Service deputy chief Paul Cook jokingly waits for Chief George Berrigan to vacate his seat.
Cook will be the service's next chief, taking over from Berrigan, who announced his retirement several months ago.
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Another hometown boy has become chief of the North Bay Police Service.
The North Bay Police Services Board announced today it has appointed deputy chief Paul Cook to take over from current chief George Berrigan, who announced his retirement several months ago.
Looking forward to the challengesCook, like Berrigan, was born and brought up in North Bay—he grew up on Vanhorne Crescent, just down the street from his future wife Karen—and has spent virtually his entire career working for the city police.
A West Ferris Secondary School graduate, Cook studied Law and Security at Sheridan College, and spent three months working for Canada Customs, at Niagara Falls, before coming back to join the North Bay Police Service.
“I’m very excited and I said to both the mayor and board chair that I’m thrilled and looking forward to the challenges which lie ahead,” Cook said.
“I’m not only following in the footsteps of the greatest chief this service has ever had, I’m following in the footsteps of a great community leader too.”
The ideal candidatePolice services board chairman William Ferguson said the board had a “difficult” task in finding Berrigan’s successor.
“But Paul Cook is the ideal candidate because he balances strong police leadership and a strong history of community involvement,” Ferguson said.
Cook will become acting chief May 1, when Berrigan takes his accumulated vacation time, and fully assume the position
after that.
Worked in a number of policing areasJoining the service in 1982 as a constable, Cook became a sergeant in 1995 and deputy chief in 1999.
During that time he worked in a number of policing areas including criminal intelligence and investigation, emergency response and patrol.
He’s also the only member of the North Bay Police Service to have attended and graduated from the FBI’s national academy, in Quantico, Virginia.
More complex than everCook will be stepping into the fire right away as chief, since bargaining is in the offing with expiry of the contract with the North Bay Police Association.
As well, Berrigan said, the police chief’s job has become more complex than ever, “and fraught with so many challenges."
Extraordinary police credentialsBerrigan believes, though, Cook has got what it takes.
“Paul’s that rare breed, very busy, and a good police officer, with extraordinary police credentials,” Berrigan said.
“But he also has an enviable record in the community, and as a community person he’s raised close to $50,000 single handedly for cancer research.”
As well, Berrigan said, Cook coaches local sports teams and involves himself in community fundraising projects.
“I think he’s what the community needs and what the police service needs,” Berrigan said, “and most of it’s predicated upon helping other people. He brings a great skill set to the job.”
Province-wide searchBerrigan said a province-wide search was done for a new chief.
“It wasn’t just a case of ‘Paul’s here he’s the deputy chief, he’s going to be the chief. ‘
The board knew specifically what they wanted and by specifically choosing Paul they reinforced that.”
