As his tenure winds down, Commander John Hatch repeats words to live by. “I’m not counting my last days, I’m making my last days count.”

That’s not to say Mr. Hatch isn’t counting the days to his retirement date next week. His final day in an OPP uniform is May 16, eight years to the day after he assumed the role of Detachment Commander. His final day as a member of the local constabulary is August 31, 2025.

But he’s committed to ensuring whoever takes over as Prince Edward County’s top cop knows the lay of the land. The direction of the detachment and the community it serves. How Prince Edward County both stands apart from and is similar to other jurisdictions when it comes to trends and service needs.

“When I first took over, the very first task was to write the Detachment Action Plan and I had no idea what I was doing,” Mr. Hatch says with a laugh. “This time, I’m taking time to write one for the incoming DC with my thumb print on it.”

“Hatching a Plan” was the punchy headline the Gazette came up with back in 2017 for the story. This year, Mr. Hatch is eager to involve the community as he hatches a new plan. The next Action Plan will involve community consultation and input from the local OPP detachment board. It will be based around the question “What do you want to see from the Prince Edward OPP over the next five years?”

On Patrol

One request Mr. Hatch responded to almost immediately when he took over operations in PEC was a request for more community policing. Prince Edward OPP had moved away from a strong public presence. Mr. Hatch has brought that important outreach piece back.

“When I approached the community in 2107 with that key question, they said ‘We want the Mick Chalmers and the Ray Bests back’, ‘We want to see foot patrols’, and ‘We want officers in the schools’,” Mr. Hatch said. “In 2014 we averaged about 100 or so foot patrols a year. In 2024, we completed 726.”

Both Mr. Hatch’s father and grandfather ended their OPP careers as detachment commanders. It is a point of personal pride for this Commander to leave the Prince Edward station better than he found it.

“We have a great detachment, some great young officers coming in. And when I leave, we will be at 93 percent staffing,” Mr. Hatch said. “My intention is to leave the shelves fully stocked.”