It appears that Gerald Cooper who is wanted on a Canada wide warrant has evaded Cobourg Police twice since being unlawfully at large from halfway house in the area.
On Tuesday, July 5, 2022 at approximately 7 p.m. a Cobourg Police officer was dragged a short distance after identifying a subject in a vehicle.
The officer initiated a traffic stop and pulled the vehicle over at the Highway 401 eastbound off-ramp on Division Street and noticed a person (Cooper) in the vehicle that was wanted on a Canada wide warrant.
Moments later, the driver of the car sped off, dragging the officer a short distance.
The vehicle stopped on the north side of Highway 401 and Cooper fled from the vehicle which then proceeded northbound on County Road 45.
A short time later the driver of the car was arrested north of Baltimore and is before the courts on several criminal charges.
Northumberland OPP, OPP Emergency Response Team members and a OPP canine unit searched the area where Cooper fled, but failed to locate the suspect.
Two days later, Cobourg Police released Cooper’s name.
The 52-year-old resident of Cobourg hasn’t been located since.
Communication officer with the Cobourg Police Service, Lisa Munday stated the reason Cobourg Police didn’t release Cooper’s name initially was because they wanted to ensure it wouldn’t interfere with the service responsible for the Canada wide warrant.
“CPS (Cobourg Police Service) liaised with the other Service responsible for the Canada Wide Warrant to ensure our efforts to locate Cooper would not interfere with their investigation,” stated Munday in a e-mail.
“Once confirmed it would not hamper their efforts, we released the name.”
Through numerous e-mails, Munday stated the warrant was issued by Correctional Services Canada, for a parole violation.
Correctional Services Canada, Regional Communications Manager Mike Shrider stated to Today’s Northumberland that the warrant stemmed from Cooper being unlawfully at large (UAL).
Shrider couldn’t comment on the location, but Today’s Northumberland has learned that Cooper had been staying at a halfway house in Peterborough, following his incarceration.
Shrider stated additional information regarding supervised offenders going UAL
“Pursuant to Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), an offender being supervised in the community can have their supervision suspended if they are no longer able to be managed safely. Our community parole staff determine an offender’s risk to the community in the event of an offender breaching one or more of the special conditions imposed on them by the PBC, to prevent a breach of those conditions, or for the safety of the public. Once a suspension has been put in place, a warrant for the offender’s arrest is created and shared with our police partners, who are responsible for executing a warrant. Until the warrant has been executed, the offender is considered Unlawfully at Large (UAL).”
Today’s Northumberland has also learned that Cobourg Police were involved in a pursuit with Cooper that was called due to safety concerns before the event on July 5.
Cobourg Police have not issued a statement regarding that pursuit.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-372-6821 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by phone by calling 1-800-222-TIPS or online by visiting www.stopcrimehere.ca.
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
