Brantford police arrested a 41-year-old man wanted for assault and seized illegal drugs during a downtown foot patrol on July 15, 2026, at about 5:05 p.m.
Officers from the Brantford Police Service Downtown Core Engagement Response Team spotted the man near Queen Street and Dalhousie Street and knew he had an active warrant. The warrant stemmed from an assault the day before, on July 14, near Colborne Street and Fordview Drive, where the man allegedly hit an adult male he knew with the blunt end of a hatchet. The victim received minor injuries and did not seek medical help.
During the arrest, officers searched the man and found crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl. He now faces two counts of possession of a controlled substance, along with charges of assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and disobeying a court order. He was held for a bail hearing.
The arrest is the latest in a string of drug enforcement actions by Brantford police in 2026. On July 3, the service’s Drug and Firearm Enforcement Unit seized roughly $158,000 worth of cocaine in a separate investigation. In February, the Core Engagement and Response Team and the Emergency Response Team arrested six people and seized more than $70,000 worth of drugs, including fentanyl and cocaine, from a downtown home.
The Core Engagement and Response Team was created in January 2025 by combining two previous units to focus on proactive enforcement and address criminal activity in the city’s downtown. The team patrols areas like Queen Street, Dalhousie Street, Market Street South, and the emerging Entertainment District.
