If you see crime happening in your area, or wish to report that criminal activity has taken place, there are a few different approaches to take.
An emergency? Call 911, of course.
There is also the daytime non-emergency phone number for Southeast District RCMP Caledonia Regional Detachment (contact information HERE), which is located at the corner of Pine Glen and Whitepine in Riverview: 506-387-2222.
There is also an Online Crime Reporting (OCR) website (HERE) that was introduced in recent years. Types of crime that can be reported using this online tool are mischief/damage to property <$5,000, theft <$5,000 (incl. theft of a bicycle and theft from a vehicle <$5,000), and lost property. This tool can take the place of having to phone the province-wide RCMP non-emergency line (1-888-506-RCMP) or visiting a detachment such as Caledonia. At the end of filing a report using OCR, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with an incident number and a report, which can be used for insurance purposes.
Another option is New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Investigative Unit (HERE). SCAN works closely with policing services such as the RCMP to remove the criminal element from communities. The difference is: with the SCAN Act not being criminal legislation, this is a civil law approach through Court of King’s Bench in which property owners and occupants are held responsible for criminal activity such as prostitution, drugs, illegal liquor, illegal gaming, illegal firearms and organized crime, including fortified houses. Another difference under the SCAN Act as opposed to a criminal investigation is that the complaint remains confidential and it is the SCAN officer, not the complainant, who appears in court.
SCAN is a community-driven program in that it takes complaints directly from public complainants who are affected in cases where safety is an issue. The goal of SCAN is to make an area feel safe again through both non-judicial and judicial actions.
SCAN can be reached by phone at 1-877-826-2122, by email at SCAN@gnb.ca, or online at www.gnb.ca/publicsafety.
However, as always, if an incident is still in progress or is an emergency, please call 911.