The Corman Park Board of Police Commissioners has terminated the contract of its Chief of Police.
The decision was made to buy out Chief Warren Gherasim’s contract at a meeting of the Police Commission Board on Tuesday, May 18, according to Corman Park Reeve Judy Harwood, who also chairs the police commission board.
The decision was made public through a news release issued by the board May 18.
Gherasim, a retired RCMP Sergeant, has served as Chief of the Corman Park Police Service (CPPS) since 2019, when he took over the post from former Chief John Garnet.
Garnet has been appointed Acting Chief of the CPPS for an interim period, effective May 18.
Garnet, a former Saskatoon Police Service Sergeant, previously served as Chief of Police for Corman Park until his semi-retirement in 2019. He has been serving as a part-time officer and mentor for young police officers in the CPPS for the past two years.
The decision to terminate Gherasim’s contract was based on the need for a “change in direction” in the police service, according to the news release issued by the police commission board.
In the news release, Harwood said the Board elected to “pay out former Chief of Police Warren Gherasim’s contract”. She also thanked Gherasim for his “capable service” since 2019.
However, the Board did not elaborate on what that proposed “change of direction” envisioned by the Police Commission Board will entail.
“The Board has simply elected to exercise an option in the employment contract to pay it out because it is a timely and logical place to do so,” Harwood said in the news release. “We are identifying some needs in the community that suggest a change of direction is in order.
“Chief Gherasim has provided a service to the community of Corman Park for which we are all appreciative, and we wish him the very best.”
Harwood said in the news release the Board of Police Commissioners will have more to say on its strategies for policing in the coming weeks.