'Governments must understand that the police will not solve the mental health crisis,' Kingston Police chief says

Police alone will not solve the challenges of community safety and mental health support, and governments need to realize that, Kingston Police Chief Scott Fraser said last week.

Fraser's comments were made during his presentation to the Kingston Police Service Board on Thursday, Jul. 17, 2025, as part of an update on the Kingston Police Community Safety & Support Initiative. His report comes one year after Sergeant Jason Hughes and Constable Clint Wills were assigned in July 2024 to work in the Community-Oriented Response and Enforcement Unit (CORE Unit), focusing on the 'Community Safety & Support Initiative.' Kingstonist readers may recall that these efforts began with a pilot project between Kingston Police and the Downtown Kingston Business Improvement Area (BIA), which saw dedicated foot patrol from Kingston Police in the downtown core to address rising concerns around crime, safety, security, and cleanliness.

According to Chief Fraser's most recent report, issues of homelessness and open-air drug use, particularly in the downtown core, were flagged and became the focus for the officers' enforcement strategies.

However, as the chief emphasized, more needs to be done to fix the mental health crisis that is the root cause of these problems.

For the past year, Fraser explained, Hughes and Wills have been focusing on several issues that they observed. The officers spoke to several business owners in the downtown area who felt that their companies were being greatly affected and that people were not using the downtown area as much because they did not feel safe. The officers' concerns were listed in the report:

• Many unhoused people were 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 provided seating for users/consumers of the downtown business district.
• Many individuals were using drugs in the open area of the downtown and showing no regard for the other citizens who were using the area. 
• Many individuals were yelling and screaming while under the influence of substances, frightening downtown shoppers. 

“It's regrettable,” the chief said, “ but... we knew, and the public had told us, and I know the mayor has certainly heard more than one time, that we need to do more.”

“As a result, we assigned two of these dedicated officers, and as they started doing initiatives, other people jumped on board, because they saw the positive effects,” Fraser said.

Outreach strategy 

Fraser went into more detail about the team's outreach strategy, saying, “Sergeant Hughes and Constable Wills got to know the businesses. They went down and started talking to people and got to know them. Having that consistent approach, understanding the people who might need some more support, understanding the community members' concerns, and understanding business owners' concerns, and trying to come up with something that works.”

Kingston Police also recognized that for this strategy to be successful, relationships with outside and invested agencies must be built. According to the report, “Officers have developed, built, and strengthened relationships with agencies such as Addictions and Mental Health Services (AMHS), City of Kingston By-Law, Housing Services, Community Shelters, and the Integrated Care Hub.” 

Officers spoke with representatives from these agencies, explaining the need for enforcement of regulations against open-air drug use and for the enforcement of community standards bylaws, particularly regarding loitering and impeding sidewalks, and interfering with pedestrian traffic. The officers also explained to the agencies that they would be enforcing criminal laws regarding the possession of stolen grocery carts, which many unhoused individuals use to transport and store their belongings. 

Hughes and Wills managed to build and strengthen relationships with agencies where the relationship may have been strained in the past, according to the chief. They gained the trust of many managers and staff members from these agencies, who would contact them directly when police assistance was required, Fraser said. 

The pair also worked with various agencies, who helped provide storage bins and facilities for some of the unhoused individuals' belongings, Fraser reported. He also noted that the officers were able to speak with some of their higher-risk clients and educate them on enforcement measures that would be implemented.

Officers who get to know people by name can recognize signs of escalating behaviour, Fraser pointed out, and there are reduced enforcement tensions because of trust and familiarity. The chief particularly noted that specific officers become so familiar to individuals that their presence alone deters problematic behaviour --- to the point where the officers' shifts have to be staggered in a less recognizable pattern.

A proactive presence in patrolling hot spots in the downtown core, City parks, and private property, in collaboration with community partners such as By-Law Enforcement and AMHS Street Outreach staff, resulted in clear communication that rules and regulations would be enforced and violations dealt with, the police chief relayed.

Mental health 

Fraser had a great deal to say about the intersection of policing and mental health, emphasizing that enforcement alone is neither practical nor humane. Law enforcement is limited in what can legally and practically be done when dealing with mental health and addictions, especially under the constraints of the Mental Health Act, which, Fraser said, “ties the hands of police” when it comes to intervening, unless someone is a danger to themselves or others.

Board member Christian Leuprecht pointed to the economic and operational benefit of mental health-focused engagement, noting, “This initiative has allowed you to optimize resources... rather than sort of a reactive ‘call and arrest’ model.”

Fraser confirmed that this operational shift frees up patrol officers, reduces repeat calls, and lowers overall costs, quantifying the cost --- $337,000 for two dedicated officers --- as worthwhile given the outcomes.

Still, "It's by no means 'mission accomplished.' There's no 'mic drop,'" Fraser said, expressing frustration that police are often left to handle problems that need broader policy solutions. He stressed that more upstream solutions --- such as additional shelter beds, expanded treatment options, and revisions to mental health laws --- are essential for achieving a lasting impact.

"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," the chief concluded. 

"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."