After 39 years of service and eight years as Officer In Charge at the Comox Valley RCMP Detachment, Inspector Tom Gray is retiring in early 2012.
Gray advised Courtenay council this week that he has submitted his papers to retire.
"It has been my honour and a career highlight to serve the people of the Comox Valley," he wrote. "I am very proud of the dedication of the men and women at the detachment who work hard on behalf of our community.
"I am also grateful for the support provided by mayor, council and staff at City Hall. This support is vital to a successful policing program, and it has been provided to us in spades by your team."
Gray's last day on the job will be Feb. 7, and the process has been put into place to identify his replacement. Gray and his wife Sherry plan to stay in the Comox Valley once he retires.
Councillors hoped to honour Gray more formally in the future but were full of praise upon hearing Gray's news.
"I've had the privilege of working with Insp. Gray in a number of capacities and have been impressed always with both his integrity and his co-operative nature and his willingness to work with the community and will miss him," said Coun. Doug Hillian.
Being an RMCP officer is a thankless job, noted Coun. Jon Ambler.
"(Gray) has a very, very difficult task and has done it very well at a time when the RCMP was going through some very difficult times as an organization," he said.
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