Hearing set for Cobourg police officer facing discreditable conduct charges

A hearing has been set for a Cobourg Police Service constable facing two counts of discreditable conduct.

According to the service, Const. David Periard is scheduled to appear before a hearing officer on Nov. 8, 2023, at Victoria Hall on 55 King St. West.

Police say an investigation was launched into Periard’s conduct while he was on secondment at the Ontario Police College in June 2021. The charges under the Police Service Act were laid in November 2021 and stem allegations while Periard was acting as an instructor at the college.

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The officer was released from his contract at the college.

Police on Monday said one count of discreditable conduct is for an alleged racial comment he made to a police recruit.

The other count of discreditable conduct is for allegedly “acting in a disorderly manner or in a manner prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit upon the reputation of the Cobourg Police Service constituting an offence against discipline.”

The hearing is scheduled for Nov. 8 to 10 and  being led by hearing officer Greg Walton, a retired OPP superintendent.

“We hold our members accountable for their actions while on and off duty,” stated police service chief Paul VandeGraaf.

“Any allegation against one of our members is taken seriously. Our members provide exemplary service to the community; the alleged conduct impacts trust and confidence in the police. We will work to restore community trust. We continue to respect the process and wait for the outcome of the hearing.”