‘Police will not solve the mental health crisis’: Kingston Police Chief

The Kingston Police initiated the Community Safety & Support Initiative in July 2024 to address growing concerns related to homelessness and open-air drug use in Kingston’s downtown core.

Two officers were assigned to the Community Oriented Response and Enforcement Unit, focusing on visible public disorder including drug use, aggressive behavior, and obstruction of public spaces.

They worked in partnership with community agencies such as Addictions and Mental Health Services, Housing Services, and By-Law Enforcement to implement both enforcement and outreach strategies. Key actions included seizing stolen grocery carts, issuing tickets for by-law and liquor violations, and enforcing criminal laws.

The issue of homelessness and open-air drug use, particularly in the downtown core, was flagged and became the focus for the implementation of enforcement strategies.

Of concern:

• Many unhoused sleeping on the streets/sidewalks/front steps and behind downtown businesses
• Many were sleeping either on, or between, benches that were put in place to help beautify Kingston’s downtown. These benches offered places to sit for users/consumers of the downtown business district
• Many of the unhoused were using drugs in the open area of the downtown and showing no regard for the citizens that were using the area
• Many of the unhoused were yelling and screaming while under the influence. This frightened citizens. Sgt. Hughes and Cst. Wills personally watched women with young children jump from being startled by one of these unhoused men yelling/screaming.

Results

The one-year report below summarized the unit’s activities from August 2024 to June 10, 2025:

• 131 encampment-related calls were attended
• 28 by-law tickets and 11 liquor-related tickets were issued
• 36 Criminal Code charges laid
• 10 arrests for outstanding warrants
• ~90 grocery carts (valued at ~$45,000 total) were returned to retailers

Cost

The initiative cost approximately $337,000, primarily in officer salaries and benefits.

Feedback

This will go on for infinity until provincial and federal governments understand that the police will not solve the mental health crisis that’s going on

We can’t arrest people and lock them up forever. It just does not happen. I know people ask us to do that, but we can’t. So there needs to be a concerted approach.

Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser