Kingston’s plans for Special Constables has been met with resistance from student leaders demanding further transparency and consultation.
The City of Kingston decided to move forward with their plan to introduce five municipal Special Constables through Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, with a report addressing this plan being presented to City Council on Nov. 4.
The report describes the Special Constables as supports for the Kingston Police, filling gaps where municipal by-law authority isn’t sufficient, but a proper police presence isn’t necessary. Special Constables will have municipal enforcement powers, meaning they’ll be able to issue tickets, investigate complaints such as excessive noise, and enforce community standards.
READ MORE: AMS voices concern at City Hall after proposal for Special Constables at high-risk events
In a written statement to The Journal, AMS Vice-President (University Affairs) Alyssa Perisa expressed concerns her and the Commissioner of External Affairs, Edlira Ballaj, have regarding the program.
“Our primary concern is that the introduction of Special Constables represents a shift away from the proactive education-based approaches that have proven effective with students,” Perisa said. “If this program is to move forward, it must be accompanied by robust, student-focused training that includes mental health awareness, equity, and a deep understanding of the student experience.”
The city addressed these concerns in a statement to The Journal, claiming they’ll continue supporting harm-reduction and education-based approaches. The city explained the Special Constables Program isn’t related to ticketing volumes against students, but is instead centred around broader community issues.
“The Special Constable Program is designed to improve response coordination, officer safety, and efficiency in addressing complex issues such as encampments, property standards, and municipal by-law enforcement, without diminishing the city’s commitment to education-first strategies,” the city wrote.
Perisa also worries that, without an in-depth training framework for the Special Constables having been presented by the city, strong safeguards in place, or a clear complaint system made accessible to students, this program will result in abuses of power. She pointed to an incident from February, in which two Kingston Special Constables were already charged with assault while on duty.
The city reaffirmed in the statement that the new special constables will be trained to meet provincial safety standards and provided with comprehensive instruction on lawful use of force, evidence handling, and note-taking. The city clarified that they won’t recruit for the positions but will instead select management of enforcement services to undergo training for the program and receive provincial certifications.
Perisa claims both she and Ballaj frequently brought up the Special Constable program to the city during consultations they were already having regarding the use of the UDSI during Homecoming and Halloween. Still, both explained they weren’t informed or involved before this report went to the council on Nov. 4.
“It’s deeply disappointing,” Perisa said. “Students are one of the largest groups impacted by this program, and yet we’re being left out of the conversation. We’re calling on the city to follow through on its commitment to transparency and collaboration. The AMS remains ready and willing to engage, but we need to be actively invited to the table, not just informed after decisions are made.”
The city claims that the program’s next phase of development will include engagement with both the University and the AMS.
“The city is committed to ensuring that students and community members understand the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of special constables before deployment,” the city said.
The AMS also shared their plans to help students understand the roles of these Special Constables.
“As the city moves forward with this program, the AMS will remain vocal both in our advocacy to the municipality and in our communication with students,” Perisa said. “We will continue our Know Your Rights campaign during each UDSI period to ensure students understand their rights when interacting with Special Constables and other enforcement.”
The Special Constables Program is scheduled to launch mid-2026, though no specific date has been set.
Tags
AMS, City of Kingston, Special Constables
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