St. Patrick's Day 2025 Kingston Police report shows steady improvement

Kingston Police have made significant changes over the last few years in terms of how they deal with St. Patrick's Day activities in Kingston, and those changes appear to be paying off.

On Thursday, May 8, 2025, Deputy Police Chief Scott Gee published a report comparing and contrasting Kingston Police’s St. Patrick’s Day activities over the last three years. The report, which shows a notable improvement in revellers' behaviour and significant cost savings to the Kingston Police Force (KPF) over that time, comes in advance of the Kingston Police Services Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The St. Patrick’s Day 2025 Report first examines the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day festivities, noting that they differed vastly from those in 2023. Gee notes that those in attendance in 2024 were much better behaved than in years past, there were no significant incidents or injuries, and officers observed a much more respectful and educated crowd. 

Gee writes that this noticeable change is being attributed to “strides made by positive outreach by our Police Liaison Team, effective messaging through social and traditional media, and the impact of a strict and consistent enforcement strategy. “

Enforcement interactions with the crowd were dramatically reduced in 2024 from 2023. Gee notes that over the two days in 2024, 100 charges were laid: 98 related to the Liquor Licence and Control Act (LLCA) and two for Highway Traffic Act offences. Only one arrest related to the event was made, and no Criminal Code charges were laid. 

In 2025, Kingston Police instated a St. Patrick’s Day Mission Statement: "Using an integrated response, the Kingston Police, along with policing and city partners, will keep the peace, enforce legislation, and maintain public safety for the duration of the... St. Patrick’s Day Event with the utmost respect to the individual[']s [rights under the] Charter of Rights and Freedoms, with priority on community and emergency services personnel safety and wellbeing."

This messaging was broadcast via social media before and continuously during the St. Patrick’s Day events to support KPF's stated mission for the events: to discourage illegal behaviour and unsanctioned gatherings and educate people on the negative impact these have on the Kingston community.

Gee notes that Police Liaison Teams (PLTs) are a “key part of police planning and response to major events.” The teams focused on proactive relationship building to resolve issues and educate the student population. From about the first week of March through the two days of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, PLT members worked to establish and maintain open and transparent lines of communication with all stakeholders who might be affected, directly or indirectly, by this event, the deputy chief says.

According to the report, Kingston Police focused on early and ongoing efforts to stop alcohol-related problems and strictly enforced laws related to noise, fire safety, alcohol control, trespassing, and criminal activity. Police used their discretion when dealing with offences, but laid charges when necessary.

On both days of the event, the operation followed the Incident Command Model, bringing together a coordinated team of sworn and civilian members from Kingston Police. They were reinforced by officers from Gananoque, Brockville, Belleville, and Smiths Falls Police Services, along with Public Order Unit members from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). In the lead-up to the weekend, and throughout Saturday and Sunday, the OPP Provincial Liaison Team worked closely with Kingston Police’s Community Oriented Response and Engagement (CORE) Unit to ensure a strong, unified presence.

St. Patrick's Day 2025 enforcement totals show a major shift in revellers' behaviour in the past three years, with just seven LLCA charges in 2025 compared to 98 in 2024, and 367 in 2023. In 2023, nine arrests were made, eight for public intoxication and one for another breach of the Criminal Code. By contrast, no one was arrested in the last two years. Streets were shut down to traffic in 2025, however, as police declared nuisance parties when party-goers spilled into the streets.

With the known expenses (overtime hours, part-time hours, other police services, and food and other supplies), the 2025 St. Patrick’s Day mass gathering deployment cost $87,274, an approximate 50 per cent decrease from 2024 ($175,570).

The Kingston Police Services Board meets regularly on the third Thursday of each month, beginning at 12 noon (unless stated otherwise in the agenda) in the William Hackett Boardroom at Kingston Police Headquarters, 705 Division Street.