Town of Cobourg Parks Department staff reassembled a memorial in honour of a Cobourg Police officer.
The memorial named “Hero’s Flight” after Cobourg Police Constable Chris Garrett was reassembled on April 16, 2025 at the park names in honour of Garrett who was murdered in the line of duty on May 15, 2004.
The memorial located on Birchwood Trail was created by sculptor Gerald Gladstone was erected at the park the following year.
Through time, Hero’s Flight had deteriorated and SZB (Sub Zero Blasting) in Colborne carefully sandblasted and brought the memorial back to its original glory.
Parks Department staff spent Wednesday morning carefully reinstalling the sculpture.
At approximately 3 a.m. on May 15, 2004, Garrett responded to a call involving the alleged robbery of an 18-year-old Cobourg resident. Constable Garrett was unaware that in fact there was no robbery and he was being lured into a planned ambush.
When Garrett arrived he began taking the details of the alleged robbery and radioed his colleagues a description of a suspect. This left Garrett alone with the supposed victim while the other officers searched for a suspect. While trying to help this apparent victim, Garrett was suddenly attacked with a knife and suffered a mortal wound. Although dying, Garrett somehow managed to draw his firearm and pursue his attacker, firing off his entire clip of 17 bullets. Constable Garrett was able to wound his murderer with his last shot before he succumbed to his injury.
The assailant was arrested at the Northumberland Hills Hospital when he attended as a result of the gun shot injury to his leg.
It was later learned through the investigation that murderer’s actions that night were part of a larger, detailed scheme. After killing the police officer, the murderer planned to steal a car and kill two attendants at a local gas station, then go to the Cobourg Police Station and set off two homemade anti-personnel explosive devices. He also planned to shoot police officers and civilian employees at the police station using a shotgun in his possession and the firearm stolen from the officer he had initially murdered.
Constable Garrett’s heroic actions while he was mortally wounded thus prevented a greater tragedy by halting this heinous chain of events.
The memorial consists of 24 steel birds, arching in a 14 foot high letter C, as they take flight. The letter C is for Const. Garrett’s first name, Chris, and the 24 birds represent the date of Garrett’s death, May 15, 2004, the fifteenth day of the fifth month in the fourth year.
Video – Memorial in Honour of Fallen Cobourg Police Officer Being Restored with Care and Pride
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
