She has only been on the job for a little over a year, but Supt. Annette Fellner says she will be moving on as top cop at the Coquitlam RCMP detachment.
The department announced this week that the search will begin to find a new officer in charge after Fellner took a role as assistant operations officer for the Lower Mainland district at E-Division in Surrey.
“It’s been a great opportunity and a pleasure to provide policing services to Anmore, Belcarra, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and the Kwikwetlem First Nation,” Fellner said in a statement. “I’ve appreciated all the feedback — both positive and constructive — and it’s bittersweet moving to a new job. The next officer in charge will have a great opportunity here.”
Fellner’s last official day will be on Aug. 7 and the detachment said senior management will take over her duties until a replacement can be found.
When asked why Fellner was moving on after such a short period of time at the helm, detachment spokesperson Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said the new opportunity “really worked for her and her family.”
“Supt. Fellner’s new position is quite prestigious, but so is being officer in charge of Coquitlam RCMP,” McLaughlin said. “So I think it’s fair to say this is a lateral move based on career aspirations and family or personal concerns.”
In her new role, based out of Surrey, Fellner will act as liaison for all senior officers for most of the small- and medium-sized RCMP detachments in the Lower Mainland. She will also oversee major responses, such as wildfires, protests or public disorders, McLaughlin said.
Fellner took over officer in charge last summer after long-time Supt. Sean Maloney retired to take a job with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in March 2019. She is the first female officer to oversee the Coquitlam RCMP Detachment.
