The top cop for Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam is on his way out.
Today (Friday), Supt. Sean Maloney officially retired from the RCMP after 37 years — and four years as officer-in-charge of the detachment shared by the two municipalities as well as Anmore and Belcarra — to take a job with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
His new gig starts Monday.
A national recruitment drive started three weeks ago after Maloney announced his exit; his replacement is due to be hired by the end of April, a detachment spokesperson said.
Officers, civilian staff and city councillors said their goodbyes at a private event at the police building Thursday. A formal gathering to honour Maloney is set for next month.
A native of Sweet Bay, N.L., Maloney was recognized in 2017 by David Johnson, then the Governor General of Canada, with an Order of Merit of the Police Forces of Canada — an award honouring leadership and exceptional service.
Maloney was singled out for his collaborative approach with First Nations (he helped to build three new police detachments in First Nations communities in B.C.: Kwadacha, Kitasoo and Ahousaht) and for addressing issues with youth, victims of crime and crime prevention.
In accepting the prestigious award, Maloney stated at the time: “I’ve learned a lot of lessons and every lesson has strengthened me for the next job. I hope the lessons that I’ve learned in the past can help find solutions for whatever’s happening now. Partnerships and community relationships are really important to me.”
