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Jun 2024
Harrogate police officer Paul Cording bids emotional farewell
Sergeant Paul Cording bade an emotional farewell this afternoon when he retired from North Yorkshire Police following a 23-year career.
Since joining roads policing in 2010, the Harrogate officer has seen how serious and fatal collisions have unimaginable trauma on victims, families and local communities.
In his policing career, he has attended well over 100 fatal collisions, which have driven him to become an advocate for road safety.
Sgt Cording, who has tweeted about policing the roads of North Yorkshire, has undertaken numerous charity challenges.
His final charity challenge last week saw him complete 126.8 kilometres in 24 hours in recognition of his collar number 1268. It raised more than £6,000 for the Police Treatment Centre in Harrogate, which offers treatment and wellbeing for injured police officers.
In January 2019 Sgt Cording formed a close working relationship with the charity Road Safety Talks, which is led by Lauren Doherty, who became paralysed following a road traffic collision.
The two united to jointly deliver talks in schools, colleges and local groups across the county.
Sgt Cording joined North Yorkshire Police in 2001 after nearly 10 years’ service in the RAF.
His initial posting was to Harrogate where he worked in both response and neighbourhood policing. In 2005, Paul was promoted to sergeant and a new chapter started five years later when he swapped walking the beat for roads policing.
Over the years, he has become a familiar face across the county following his visits to local schools, presence on social media and his appearances on Channel 5’s Traffic Cops.
He was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to policing and charity in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours.
Today, he finished his policing career in the force where he started out.
Specialist Operations Chief Inspector Alex Butterfield said:
Today Paul will go Status 11 (off duty) for the last time. It will be an emotional moment for Paul and his colleagues.
His dedication to raising money for various charities and spreading awareness over several years through extreme physical challenges is nothing short of inspirational.
As his policing career comes to an end Paul can reflect knowing he has made a positive and meaningful impact to the communities of North Yorkshire and the colleagues he has served alongside.
All of us here at North Yorkshire Police will miss you Cords, thank you for the service and we wish you the very best for the future.
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