New Fredericton police chief to lean on partnerships to help make city safer
Socioeconomic issues like homelessness, drug addiction require more than just police, says new chief
Collaborating with community partners will be key to addressing public safety concerns that stem from socioeconomic issues, says Fredericton's new chief of police.
Chief Gary Forward said one of his top priorities as the city's new chief will be exploring partnerships aimed at helping police better respond to calls related to homelessness and drug addiction.
"Many municipalities and communities are experiencing some of these same challenges," said Forward, speaking after his formal introduction to Fredericton city council on Monday.
"So again, this comes down to having input, open discussion around what ideas, options can best be put forward to potentially resolve these, these very complex issues."
The city hired Forward following the retirement of former police chief Martin Gaudet, who served in the role since 2022.
Forward's new role marks a return to the police force he started his career with in 1999 as a constable.
He went on to work for the New Brunswick RCMP and later the Department of Justice and Public Safety before his recent stint as chief of the Woodstock Police Department.
Forward's comments on Monday speak to the Fredericton force's growing need to respond to calls about people who are homeless and living in tents on public and private property.
The issue has sparked concern from residents and business owners about a perceived increase in petty theft, vandalism and open drug use linked to it.
Mayor Kate Rogers has bemoaned how a lack of mental health and housing services — both provincial responsibilities — have helped create those problems for municipalities such as Fredericton.
Homelessness
has been a growing concern in Fredericton in recent years and prompted
differing approaches by police seeking to address it. (Elizabeth Fraser/CBC News file photo)
Prior to Forward's arrival, police offices had already begun having social workers and other professionals accompany them to certain calls and attempt to connect people to resources they needed.
As for the trafficking and dealing of drugs, Forward didn't say if he would try a new strategy, noting the provincial government already formed "integrated enforcement units" to address the issue, which he said is "headed in a very good direction."
Recruitment and retention
Forward said his first day on the job gave him the chance to meet with officers and hear about challenges they're facing.
He said the main one had to do with recruitment and retention, which he noted is a problem many other police forces in Canada are experiencing.
The Fredericton Police Force was rocked by the line-of-duty killings of two officers in August 2018, which led to a wave of occupational and sick leaves among members, in addition to retirements.
The police force had about 23 vacancies as of the end of August, according to former chief Gaudet, but a new police academy satellite school in Fredericton was expected to fill those vacancies.
"And that [program] along with a few other ideas are what we are looking at to sort of be able to bridge that gap of resource challenges," Forward said.
Helping residents feel safe
Speaking on Monday, Rogers said she hopes to see a focus on policing that helps residents feel safe.
She said she recognizes the city has grown, and with that, so have the socioeconomic problems that lead to theft, vandalism and addiction.
Fredericton
Mayor Kate Rogers says Forward was hired to be the next police chief
because he showed sensitivity to concerns that affect residents' sense
of safety in the city. (Aidan Cox/CBC)
She said in the hiring process, Forward seemed sensitive to those concerns, which is a big reason why he ultimately got the job.
"What we walked away with was this sense that he took this work very seriously and recognized that it's important policing too," Rogers said.
"It maybe is not the major crime, but it's important policing, and in a way impacts peoples' day-to-day lives more than anything else."
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Nothing like talking about our feelings instead of actually doing something.
Here's a great first step to implement, make Vagrancy illegal again.
Common sense is a rare thing when its mixed with politicking All I hear all day long is big talking grifters capitalizing on the needs of poor folks. This is just another example of that nonsense
Reply to Jake Newman
Who's imagination is it a figment of?
Reply to Allan Marven
Gary Forward, new Fredericton police chief, takes over Sept. 9
Forward's vast experience will be an asset, says Mayor Kate Rogers
Black and white crosswalks work fine. I have never heard of a crime being committed through vandalism of a black and white crosswalk. No policing time lost. No cost to taxpayers. No feelings hurt.
The bottom line is this: if you paint enough of any symbol in public spaces, someone at some point will vandalize itl
Vandals destroy trash cans, bathroom stalls, urinals, school walls, windows, overpasses, tunnels and more. It is naive in the extreme to think rainbow crosswalks would somehow be magically protected from vandalism.
The difference is that when the trash can or bathroom stall in the gents gets vandalized, men don't get all bent out of shape over it and consider it a hate crime against men. Ditto for overpasses and, most of the time, school buildings.
So, take the easy and free solution: Stop painting rainbow crosswalks. Leave them black and white and stop inviting vandals with yet another target they can use to get the attention they so obviously crave.
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