Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-28194879-20160415101055/@comment-27441457-20160415175633

Yup, I think it's safe to say Rod had no idea the Coordinate was passed to Eren until the Battle of Trost happened. Once he found out a Titan shifter was fighting on the humans' side at Trost, he knew exactly where the Coordinate ended up and ordered the Military Police to get ahold of Eren at all costs. The trial was their first attempt, and when that didn't work out he resorted to Kenny and the First Squad.