As part of the City of Fredericton’s ongoing commitment to community safety, the following updates were presented to the City’s Standing Committee on Public Safety on Thursday. The updates highlight recent progress on recommendations coming from the Community Safety Task Force which are designed to strengthen community safety and transparency.
Community Safety Task Force Oversight Committee and Reporting Framework
The City has appointed an oversight committee to ensure accountability, progress and action on the recently adopted Community Safety Task Force Report’s recommendations. The new oversight committee completes recommendation #1 from the recently released Community Safety Task Force report.
The seven-member committee includes representatives from both municipal and provincial governments and a member of the business community, including the Task Force co-chairs Mayor Kate Rogers and Fredericton Police Chief Gary Forward.
Members include:
- Mayor Kate Rogers
- Chief Gary Forward
- Steve Hart, Chief Administrative Officer
- Mike Comeau, Deputy Minister of Justice and Public Safety
- Eric Beaulieu, Deputy Minister of Health
- Jim Mehan, Deputy Minister of Social Development
- Natasha Lemieux, Vice President, Horizon Health Network
- Morgan Peters, Executive Director, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce
The committee’s next steps include developing Terms of Reference, coordinating action plans, and providing quarterly updates to Fredericton City Council through the Public Safety Committee. Progress will be tracked and reported publicly, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Public Safety Camera Network Expansion
The City of Fredericton is expanding its public safety camera network with 14 new cameras to be installed this summer, adding to the 28 already in operation. This initiative directly supports recommendation #13 from the Community Safety Task Force report and reflects Fredericton’s ongoing commitment to community safety and crime prevention.
The new cameras will be placed at high schools, in several locations along the northside trail and Crosstown Trail, at the Victoria Circle Roundabout, and in business districts across the city. The locations were selected based on crime trend analysis, community input and police recommendations.
The expanded network aims to deter crime, enhance safety in shared spaces, and provide valuable support for police investigations through real-time monitoring and evidence collection.
FPF’s Community Engagement Unit Update:
The Fredericton Police Force (FPF) is seeking the extension of the Community Engagement Unit (CEU) beyond its initial six-month pilot, based on strong internal support, clear operational benefits, and overwhelmingly positive public feedback.
Extending the length of the CEU pilot advances recommendations #12 and 18 from the Community Safety Task Force report.
Launched on Feb. 3, 2025, the CEU is staffed by six retired police officers who focus on non-emergency service calls, including reports of theft, lost and found property, mischief, statement collection, client callbacks and general public assistance. By handling these duties, the CEU enables patrol officers to respond more proactively to high-priority and urgent calls, improving overall police efficiency and public safety.
The CEU has handled 523 lower-priority (priority 3 & 4) calls between February 3 and May 28, 2025, which translates to an estimated 1,046 service hours to frontline officers, allowing them to focus on higher-priority emergency response and proactive policing.
A May 2025 survey found 100% of CEU clients were “Very Satisfied” and rated the unit as “Very Responsive,” with 93% agreeing it improves community safety and non-emergency service delivery. Based on these strong results and clear operational benefits, Fredericton Police recommend expanding the CEU until Dec. 31, 2025, to further support effective policing and public safety.
The City of Fredericton remains dedicated to building a safer, more resilient community through collaboration, innovation, and transparency in enhancing safety for all. By acting on the recommendations of the Community Safety Task Force, the City continues to make meaningful progress in building a safer community for all to live, work and visit.