The Fredericton Police Force is highlighting the positive results of the trial of its Direct-Action Response Training team (DART), an initiative created to strengthen training for junior officers while addressing community concerns about public drug use, petty crime, and street-level disorder in the downtown core.
Central to the trial’s success was collaboration with key community partners, including Business Fredericton North, the John Howard Society of Fredericton, Ironwood Resource Center, along with shelter staff, outreach workers, and private security providers. Together, these partners supported enforcement efforts, identified areas of concern, and helped ensure vulnerable individuals were connected with appropriate services.
“Business Fredericton North was proud to work alongside the Fredericton Police Force on this pilot,” said Trina MacDonald, General Manager of Business Fredericton North. “The DART program showed how proactive enforcement, when paired with strong community connections, can improve safety for businesses and residents alike. Just as importantly, it demonstrated how working together with police builds trust, ensures vulnerable individuals are connected to help, and strengthens the partnerships that keep our community safe.”
From May 30 – Aug 1, 2025, in 13 separate operations, DART resulted in:
• 42 arrests
• 13 warrants executed
• 180+ grams of suspected CDSA drugs seized
• 40 tickets issued
• 150 public interactions (traffic stops, bicycle checks, and suspicious person investigations, not including arrests)
Beyond enforcement, DART was designed to build officer skills through real-time mentorship. Junior officers gained experience in interdiction tactics, surveillance operations, and the legal articulation of police authorities, while senior members acted as mentors. The pilot project has shown the value of balancing proactive enforcement with officer development. The partnerships with community agencies were critical to the trial’s success.
“Community safety in Fredericton is strongest when enforcement is supported by meaningful engagement and genuine partnership with the community,” said Cst. Alan Irvine, lead of the DART initiative. “The pilot delivered results, built trusted relationships, and showed our junior members that modern policing relies on collaboration as much as enforcement.”
The Direct-Action Response Training team pilot program supports recommendations from the Fredericton Community Safety Force, which calls for enhanced community-based crime prevention.
The Fredericton Community Safety Task Force brought together government, police, health, and community partners to develop 47 recommendations focused on prevention, support, and collaboration to address root causes of crime and enhance community safety, with many actions already underway to make Fredericton safer and more supportive for all residents.
The program continues to run, and another update will be provided in the coming weeks.
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Media contact:
Sonya Gilks
Public Information Officer
Fredericton Police Force
506-460-2777
Fpf.media@fredericton.ca