Fredericton adds 14 security cameras as part of additional community safety measures

Fredericton is adding 14 security cameras as part of ongoing safety measures.

The City of Fredericton has appointed an oversight committee to ensure accountability and action on the recently unveiled recommendations in a Community Safey Task Force report.

The updates, presented during the City’s Committee on Public Safety Thursday afternoon, include the appointment of the oversight committee. The initiative checks off the top recommendation of the Task Force’s report.

The goal of the task force is to improve community safety in Fredericton by bringing together relevant stakeholders to look at areas like justice, policing, mental health, addictions, and homelessness.

The seven-member oversight committee includes officials from both municipal and provincial levels of government, Mayor Kate Rogers, Fredericton Police Chief Gary Forward, and Fredericton Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Morgan Peters.

The group will work on creating action plans and provide quarterly updates on progress to council through the Public Safety Committee.

Other measures include the installation of 14 additional security cameras around the city, bringing the overall total to 42 cameras around Fredericton.

The executive director of Downtown Fredericton said the cameras have made a big difference.

“Crime doesn’t happen where people can get caught,” said Adam Peabody. “That’s certainly been a benefit to our downtown business community.”

The new cameras will be put at various high schools, the northside trail and crosstown trail, the Victoria Circle Roundabout, and in business districts. Locations were chosen based on crime trends as well as the input of the community and police force.

“We’ve used them to gather evidence, we’ve used them to track criminals prior to offences being committed,” said Fredericton Police Force Insp. David Cooper. “We have the ability to jump on and monitor live events. The camera doesn’t lie.”

The Fredericton Police Force is hoping to extend the Community Engagement Unit (CEU) beyond its six-month pilot period due to its success. The force is seeking an extension from the unit until the end of 2025.

“You’re going to see more officers driving the streets,” said Cooper.

“They’re not going to be tied up having to do the administrative tasks that come with those priority three and four files.”

The CEU was launched in February and is staffed by six retired officers who prioritize non-emergency calls like theft, mischief, and overall public assistance.

Between Feb. 3 and May 28, the CEU handled 523 lower-priority calls, freeing up frontline officers for an estimated 1,046 service hours.

Council will vote on whether to extend the CEU later this month.

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