Cobourg Couple Frustrated By Apparent Lack Of Action By Police
A Cobourg couple is fed up with what appears to be an operating drug house right across the street from where they live.
The couple asked not to be named (but we’ll call them John and Jane Smith), said, “it’s no secret” with the amount of traffic coming and going from the home, but police continue to do nothing.
At times, vehicles fill the driveway for only minutes with people coming and going from the home, other times the occupants come out and get into a car and leave only for a few minutes. All are indicative of drug activity.
“It’s so frustrating to sit here day after day and watch it,” said John.
Visitors even enter the home through the backyard to the front door of the residence.
The Smith’s living room has a bay window that looks directly across the street towards the home.
Inviting Today’s Northumberland to their home, it didn’t take long for a car to pull up and the passenger exit the vehicle and go into the home for a few moments. It was such a short time, the driver never put the vehicle in park as indicated by the brake lights.
When there was a serious incident this summer in the area, Special Constables canvassed the area speaking to area homeowners including the Smiths.
They admitted police were well aware of what was happening inside the home, but nothing has been done since.
“Is this the police version of population control?”
“Or is it, if they close this one down they don’t want another one opening up somewhere and it’s just easier?”
For the longest time, the Smith’s almost took it as a joke, even making up funny nicknames for the regulars coming and going from the house, but that has come to an end with apparent drug deals taking place at the end of their driveway.
“I did hear an argument at the bottom of my driveway the other day about the guy dropping “a rock,” said John.
“When you’re talking that, you’re talking crack (cocaine).”
“The other guy was just smacking the guy upside the head.”
Soon after the three individuals were on their hands and knees looking for the item.
“I’m sitting outside and I can hear every word they are saying – they aren’t shy about it.”
Another time they overheard the occupant of the house yell to one person in the driveway, “come back, I ain’t go no crack.”
The Smith’s said if police aren’t going to do anything about it, that’s one thing, but they don’t want the drug deals on their side of the street.
“I think that we need proactive policing not reactive policing.”
“We have a police force that seems to just react to crime. I know it’s tough to prevent, but when you have a house that you know there is drug activity – why aren’t you doing anything about it?”
“Does somebody need to actually die?”
“We have such a drug epidemic in this town. I can’t believe that police aren’t getting ahead of this problem.”
“This is a pretty crappy service we’re receiving right now. Police are not doing their job in my opinion.”
John called Cobourg Police last week and spoke to a person at the station. But after being re-directed he hasn’t heard back from anyone, and the two e-mail addresses given to him were incorrect.
But he’s received no return calls as of Monday and the two e-mails that were sent bounced back as he said he was given the wrong e-mail addresses.
Cobourg Police Chief Kai Liu responded to the couple’s concern by stating, “addressing drug related offences are one of our top five identified policing concerns. We actively work with our policing partners when conducting drug related investigations and encourage our community to contact the police when they see something suspicious. I am empathetic with any community member who is frustrated with the time a criminal investigation may take, however, to protect the integrity of police investigations, I am not able to publicly discuss any specific investigation.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love