CHCH News examines impact of Hamilton police Core Patrol unit based at downtown substation

It’s been just over a month since the new Hamilton police substation at Jackson Square opened its doors.

It’s also the home of the force’s core patrol unit, which is in its second year of operation.

CHCH News walked through the downtown core with patrol officers for an inside look at their impact on the community.

Hamilton police’s core patrol unit has quadrupled in scale since it was first introduced as a pilot project in 2023 with just two officers.

“They were making a difference, but we knew that we could do better,” said Hamilton Police Sgt. Cory Gurman.

Core Patrol now operates out of the new Jackson Square substation, less than a kilometre from its former home at Central Station.

Both the unit and the substation were created in response to a multitude of safety concerns from the downtown community.

WATCH MORE: CHCH News examines typical day for new Hamilton police Core Patrol initiative

“This is proactive policing,” said Hamilton Police Const. Adam Kimber. “This is showing people that we are here, we are present.”

There have been many violent incidents at the mall in recent years, including the shooting death of 16-year-old Nabil Askafe in April.

Business owner Don Vautour says he’s a victim of a violent incident, but says the police presence in recent weeks has helped.

“I was personally assaulted here, but since they’ve been here, we’ve seen less of that traffic in the mall,” said Vautour. “So it’s been good, it’s been really good for us.”

The patrol officers fight crime, yes, but they also engage with the community.

“The relationships that you form — you’ve seen it, how many fist bumps, how many simple conversations with people walking by — they recognize you,” Hamilton Police Const. Foster Brown.

“Community policing initiatives are not just about showing up when a community member or the community is in a state of distrust, it’s also about being there to build these positive relationships when communities are in a state of rest,” said Alana Saulnier, a professor and Canada Research Chair in crime, technology and public policy at the University of Guelph.

WATCH MORE: Local businesses speak on effectiveness of Hamilton police’s new Core Patrol initiative

For businesses on James St. North, uniforms are a welcome presence.

“It feels good to have them walking around, making sure everyone’s good, and I see them walk around a lot,” said Raj Kali from the James Public Eatery.

“Them coming in, they ask me how we’re doing, it makes me feel safe,” said Maria Oliveira Di Bruno at Ola Bakery.

But outside Jackson Square, some say that more police doesn’t make them feel safer, including one person who said that the officers were “ganging up on people.”

One policing expert says community initiatives like the core patrol can take time to succeed.

“Trust is something that is built over time — it’s earned,” said Alana. “So this initiative is one that sounds excellent and one that we can expect to take a while to take root.”

“We’re realistic and we understand that there are some concerns with people coming down here, and we’re engaging with people down here,” said Kimber. “We’re a presence and we’re not going anywhere.”

Since July of last year, core patrol officers have made over 200 arrests and laid close to 500 charges.

WATCH MORE: Hamilton police downtown substation opens to respond to community concerns