Starting May 1, Cobourg Police initiated their “Dynamic Patrol” which they describe as “one element of the Spring 2024 CPS Downtown Community Safety Action Plan”. In a surge of transparency, the Police are reporting on their activities on this Patrol which “will continue throughout the spring and summer. This initiative focuses on increasing police presence, engagement opportunities, bail enforcement, warrant execution, and probation condition compliance in the Town of Cobourg.” The statement released today (May 23) about the period May 1 to May 20, reports that police conducted 102 foot patrols, responded to nine (9) suspected drug poisoning calls, and conducted 46 property checks within the downtown core, Victoria Park and east end towards the encampment. See below for more specifics.
Dynamic patrol Details
Twenty-seven arrests were made directly related to Dynamic Patrol. Further details on the arrests for outstanding warrants or bail violations will be released next week.
During this time, officers issued:
- 10 Liquor License tickets and/or cautions
- 16 Trespass to Property tickets
- 22 Highway Traffic Act charges
What is Dynamic Patrol?
It’s an ongoing initiative, and officers will be deployed as necessary in various areas of the community. In addition to enhancing police-related responses to ensure people feel safe, CPS continues to work with partners and community agencies to support all residents. The Homelessness Addiction Response Program (HARP) and Mental Health Engagement and Response Team (M-HEART) continue to connect with residents and conduct daily patrols throughout the Town of Cobourg.
What can we do? Suggestions from Police
Report Crime and Suspicious Activity
The Police encourage community members to report suspicious activity and crime, whether big or small. Reports help us identify crime patterns and trends, which allows us to better serve our community by redeploying resources where they are needed. Reports are reviewed and assigned for follow-up.
How to Report
Report non-emergency crimes such as theft, traffic complaints, damage to property, damage to vehicle and lost property online or by phone. Visit cobourgpoliceservice.com/online-reporting or phone 905-372-6821. Note that reports cannot be taken over social media or via email.
Crime Stoppers provides an anonymous way for residents to report crime or information about criminal activities. Tips received through Crime Stoppers may be eligible for a cash reward. To leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers, call 1-800-222-TIPS or visit stopcrimehere.ca.
If you are in an emergency or witness a crime in progress, please call 9-1-1 immediately.
The improvement in transparency is applauded as is the “Dynamic Patrol”. You have to give the Police high marks for responding to citizen complaints but I’d wager there will be some who will find something to criticize.
From my understanding of how things work, you have more chance of getting your complaints and suggestions heard if you phone or email directly to Police using your real name. You can get contact info for Town staff – including phone numbers and email addresses – at this page (includes Police Chief info).
Addendum
Update from Police – 28 May 2024
As part of the Dynamic Patrol efforts, the CPS Criminal Investigative Bureau led a bail compliance enforcement initiative with the Community Impact and Enforcement Unit (CIEU) and uniform patrol. This initiative focused on ensuring bail compliance and outstanding warrant execution. Of the 28 arrests made between May 1st and May 26th directly related to Dynamic Patrol, 21 were through the efforts of the bail compliance initiative.
Details for these arrests are now available on the Police web site here.
Briefly, full details including names are provided for 14 arrests – 9 of these are “Cobourg Residents” , 7 were “remanded into custody” – plus “seven individuals were arrested on outstanding warrants held by police services in other jurisdictions. Six were returned to the jurisdiction of the warrant.” More details available on the Police news page at the link above.
Print Article:
London Police,London By-Law and London public works clean up illegal encampments. Why can Cobourg? And enough of its ISO responsibility yo call in police. This is a major health and safety issue for the community as whole- vermin, tent fires, etc.
If the City of London can do so can Cobourg?
https://london.ctvnews.ca/if-we-can-t-maintain-property-standards-our-city-is-lost-encampment-crackdown-in-oev-1.6911663
In the following article the Police Chief speaks to a drain on resources for calls like the Sidwell Hospital building (across from the Encampment) on May 30th. He also references 60 (up from the 15-20 it started with) people now at the Encampment; saying this impacts CPS in performing duties in other areas.
https://cobourgblog.com/assets/2023/Council-Pay-Feb-2023.pdf
Today on the Port Hope Politics facebook page (open to public) “Cobourg Encampment” (appear they now have a Facebook page) has posted and are reaching out for tent donations of the 4 – 12 people size. They open by speaking to the Encampment and then reference all homeless in Cobourg/the County. Sounds to me that these tents are for the Encampment – especially given the food and supplies handouts there.
Why are leadership and the Police Chief not placing a hold/no further growth to the expanding Encampment? This is not an unreasonable position as the Encampment has been issued a No Trespass Notice, destruction continues to Cobourg, and as the Police Chief states, is a drain on resources and impacts other services overall.
I have suggested to the mayor why not look at fencing the property. Allow people out but not in. Not sure what level of government could do this or should I say who has the courage to take action. We are becoming a fenced town anyway. Sidbrook, medical centre across from the high school and the home on the encampment property It takes strong leadership.
Just to add to the drain of resources – both CPS officers and Cobourg Tax Dollars – driving by the Encampment at 3:45 PM today there were 5 Police cruisers (2 with lights flashing) and say 7 CPS officers. All standing/ walking around speaking with Security Officers.
CPS didn’t go there for a coffee! This Encampment is illegal and has to be cleaned out. IMO it is simply a waste – with no future.
As per the update above dated May 28. This is a wonderful effort. Many of the names released identify several of the night travellers we see here in the neighbourhood of the known drug house at James and John, one woman is the gal was caught on my camera more than once foraging on my property. Explains why the “hits” on my cameras have dropped from the 40s to a mere 7 last night and one was the gentleman delivering newspapers and another a dog walker……a relative peace. Now as the assaults are rising at the encampment it should forecast more in depth police work there…….please.., if not all together removal. Finally action toward this lawless mob.
Couldn’t agree more Downtowner – this type of enforcement was and is desperately needed, consistently, without a pause or interruption. Stop calling it an initiative…this is police work.
Keep it up!
Better late then never. How unfortunate that this initiative was not always the case.
This initiative should be year round, not just seasonal !!
Lots of us agree. On the other hand it can be necessary to try things as a pilot program and learn from them. Allowing people to take shopping carts has not been a good experience for Cobourg so charging people with theft when in possession of a cart could be good. BC tried decriminalization of small amounts of drugs in public, it didn’t work. Too bad Toronto wants to try it. However, the federal government is not going to allow it.
Kingston tried sleeping cabins and have cancelled the program. Peterborough is trying it. We don’t need to try it, just wait and see what happens in Peterborough and learn from them.
We are still tying decriminalization of cannabis. Incident psychotic experiences following self‐reported use of high‐potency cannabis: Results from a longitudinal cohort study – Hines – Addiction – Wiley Online Library
“This initiative focuses on increasing police presence, engagement opportunities, bail enforcement, warrant execution, and probation condition compliance in the Town of Cobourg.” Some of us wonder why the police would not be doing these things all the time. Yes, better late than never.
I applaud the Police efforts. They will be damned if they do and damned if they don’t.
Perhaps you live in Toronto where we read often the police are critizied no matter what they do. Here in Cobourg Marilyn the citizens have been very concerned with regard to little action by the police, riding homeless addicts about town and sympathetic statements by the Chief. I think the current step up will be met with nothing but relief and cheers by the citizens here.
I do not live in Toronto and the homeless addicts situation is not that easy to resolve. This is happening all across the country in other towns and cities. What would you like the police to do?
Their Jobs! Uphold the law and stop playing politics?!
I have little hope that the chief will explain why the sudden change in policing, but we all know he wants a new building, more officers and likely to lead a possible Northumberland County Police FORCE. He has had his chance and it’s too little too late. He and the board need to be replaced.
Why more police? He wants his budget defunded & given to social services.
He says he was one of the very first police chiefs in Ontario to agree with defunding the police.
Yes political ploys.
Coming from a police family. This is deplorable.
https://todaysnorthumberland.ca/2024/05/16/cobourg-police-chief-holds-town-hall-style-meeting-at-palisade-gardens-in-response-to-concerns-from-the-community/
Police chiefs should not be politicians!!!
They are there to uphold the law. The police chief is trying to be a politician. This is deplorable. If someone is acting strangely in front of my house or on my property I will be sure to call the police not a frigging social worker.
Police should be police. Yes; they could arrest the person in question but I think social workers need to be incorporated into the mix. Not jail. Furthermore, if social workers could take over with the resources to get the “patients in
need of help”… well, therapy for a start is underestimated. Not jail. Take the pressure off the police and that said person might not have the desire to wander incessantly, and the police have a backup plan.
Where is the money coming from to fund all these social workers?
No Mixing. Defunding the police is a terrible idea. Cities that cut their own police funding are recognizing the mistake they’ve made & seeking to restore funding they cut. The “defund the police” movement has resulted in smaller police budgets & resulted in lower police morale, leading to a wave of police retirements, sick leave & resignations.
Our Frontline coppers are trained to be brave & committed. They put on the badge each day knowing the risk to their own safety. We call them for any of the documented & increasing criminal truths. They are trained to run toward danger & violence when the natural reaction is to run away from it. Social Workers are Not trained to do this. Our frontline officers deserve the highest level of respect.
They bear a heavy physical & emotional burden. Seeing evil on a daily basis. They confront violence so that we don’t have to & they pay a price. We owe them profound gratitude. What is the overused phrase of the month? “Stay in your Lane”. Do not underestimate the purpose of Police.Pleased VandeGraaf giving go ahead for them to do the jobs again.
*their jobs again.
Our problem is, Cobourg tax payers are not receiving value for their money.
We have our very own, highly expensive Police force who are doing less for the people that pay them than for the people who do not.
#GoOPP
And What hours of Operation will we see the Dynamic Patrols working
a lot of our problems are after hours Evenings and nights not just Downtown
shopping & Banking hours
While I don’t have that answer and don’t speak for anyone else but me…….I’d suggest that if the Dynamic Patrol hours were during a period of regular business/banking hours, I’d now be more inclined to reverse my thinking and consider spending time in the downtown area – something I’ve not done for a very long time.
Absolutely Ruth! You are a welcome example of embracing your life through confident reasoning!
Why thumbs down? Encouraging Ruth to enjoy the shopping/walking at her leisure is her right!
They’ve already got a couple of beleaguered store owners on Division north of King in their crosshairs – I saw on Instagram that the town is hectoring them (quite rudely) to take down the street signs alerting the few remaining shoppers downtown that they exist.
Calling to report is a bit intimidating, you are asked many questions and are required to give personal information and description of individuals and what you suspect is occuring in your surroundings that is problematic. My concern is that by the time you are interviewed, the interlopers have moved on and/ or the police simply drive by. BUT l continue to call in…and encourage others to do so. The repeated areas of concern SHOULD be very clear with or without calls but remember we are faced with individuals who don’t make clear, thoughtful decisions and need constant reminding and the patterns that develop will increase police presence…one can hope.
You are asked questions as you described, much like if you call an ambulance or the fire dept, you don’t say come now and hang up. I attended more than my share of the come now hang-ups when I worked EMS; one led me to an address with rifles and shots fired, and nobody bothered to tell the dispatchers. If, as you say, the ones you call leave your immediate area, with your description, the police have some idea who they are looking for. The callback numbers requested should the call be disconnected and, if necessary, call back for more information. I am unsure why you would feel intimidated; the respective dispatch centres only wish to glean sufficient information for crew safety. After all, the services aren’t beneficial if they end up in a situation they weren’t prepared for. The most frustrating thing is having people yell and argue with the dispatcher as to what the caller feels is essential to what is actually needed by the dispatch centre.
The intimidation comes with the first time you call for service.Speaking for myself this is a world that l am not accustomed to navigating. It feels like you are being questioned to the validity of your request …above the first few questions of location and identification.l thank you, Gerry, for fleshing out the reasoning. It is a conclusion l did come to after the first time calling. My comment was to encourage more callers, as there is action taking place and so far, thankfully, my calls have been more about nuisance and petty theft and l respect a triage approach for response.
Contrary to derogatory, relentless snubs towards the police force, lets revert back to reminding ourselves that they are trained, and protocols are to be followed.
I get that, Downtowner. I also feel the concern of delay.
But I have also witnessed some pretty cool cops de-escalating — what may appear as; “not going to end well!” — and everyone moves on with a l.o.l., and “just have a good evening!”
I am drawn to a window when the decibels of noise heighten — especially during the middle of the night! And some folks are enjoying the end of a good evening, or two blokes, or a couple chooses to disagree.
👎👎sigh. So many unhealthy, angry soles among us not wanting to hear positive comments. Look beyond your mental anguish and begin with enjoying tomorrow.
Now we wait to be criticized
I too applaud this initiative John.