Fredericton's use of private security guards downtown worked, says city staffer

A pilot project that saw private security guards hired to patrol Fredericton's downtown and multi-use trails was a successand should be fundedagain next year, says the city hall employee who oversaw the program.

Brad Cameron said business ownersreported the downtown felt cleaner and safer, and that the Fredericton Police Force had fewer calls for sometypes of crimethis year compared to last.

"I think the project has been a success," he said, speaking to councillors on the city's public safety committee Tuesday.

"[We] accomplished a lot of what we set out to do, not without some challenges ... Some of these issues are really difficult and persist. Core issues of addiction and mental healthremain."

Last year, Cameron, the city's assistant director of safety services, proposed the city spend$600,000 on the project to create what he called a community safety services unit.

Made up of private security guards, the unitwas to patrol the city from May to November, between the hours of 6 a.m. and1 a.m., daily.

The pilotwas spurred by a series of community engagement sessions, which heard concerns from residents about petty theft, graffitiand a general sense of a lack of safety downtown and on the city's trails.

WATCH | 'All in all, we're very pleased':

Fredericton spent $600,000 to patrol trails hows that going?

12 months ago

Duration 1:01

The pilot project contracted security guards to patrol the downtown and multi-use trails over the summer. Bruce McCormack of Downtown Fredericton Inc. says the project has been good for businesses.

Councillors approved the funding, though it was met by some criticism as being a "move along" projectthat would unfairly target the city's homeless population.

With the pilot project winding down, and with budget deliberations for next year underway, Cameron presented an update.

He said the number of reports aboutgraffiti spikedto 30 in May the month the pilot started and steadily declinedto less than five in each of the following three months.

Calls to police for disturbances, indecent acts, loitering, mischief or property damage, trespassing, and unwanted persons totalled 635 between April and August 2022, he said.

For the same period this year there was a decrease, with 447 calls for those issuesin total.

Cameron said while the officers from the unit werealsomeant to educate trail users on proper etiquette and safety, most of their time got taken up by responding to homeless tent encampments.

Officers tried to not just move people along, he said, but to connect them with outreach services when possible.

Downtown business group pleased

Businesses in the downtown have benefited from the pilot project, said Bruce McCormack, general manager of Downtown Fredericton Inc.

"It's made a big, big difference in downtown," said McCormack, speaking outside his office on King Street following the meeting at city hall.

"We still have problem areas, there's no question, and there's still problem issues. You can't fix everything overnight, but all in all, we're very pleased."

McCormack said business owners have had issues with loitering, panhandling and disturbances.

He said just the presence of the security guards, early in the morning and late at night, offers some reassurance and appears to act as a deterrent.

"It's a big role," McCormack said, adding that if council can afford it, more officers should be brought in and put on the streets.

"They're the ... eyes and ears for police, and it's been working very well."

'It just freaks people out'

Standing on the sidewalk of King Street on Tuesday, Robbie MacDonald saidalthough he's not homeless, he does spenda lot of his time on the streets of Fredericton.

He said he's had interactions with community safety officersand finds them to be more intimidating than helpful.

"I feel like they're just threatening ... and they're not much help for anybody, really, with mental health disorders or PTSD, and it just freaks people out.... So I really don't feel much safer with them."

MacDonaldsaid instead of the city hiringprivate security guards, he'd like to see police officers approach people like him with more of a focus on connecting them with the counselling and addiction services they need.

City picking up after province, mayor says

Mayor Kate Rogers thanked Cameron for his presentation and said the photos he showed of encampments were distressing.

However, she said she doesn't think Fredericton should be paying to hire private security guards, adding the reason they're needed stems from a lack of provincial supports.

"This unit is extremely costly for our city. Fredericton taxpayers are paying for this," she said.

"So in addition to paying a provincial governmentfor social development services, we're now paying to have a security unit."

Rogers noted that while some of the work by the unit is related to crime and safety, much of it intersected with issues related to homelessness and addiction.

"A lot of the outreach issues that we're dealing with, they are not typical policing issues.They are not typical city issues, and I do not feel that we should be needing to foot the bill for that."

Councillors on the committee ultimately voted in favourofforwarding the request for funding to council ahead ofbudget deliberations happening this month and next.