CREDIT: COURTESY OF METRONEWS.CA
Police say controlling Western University Homecoming, which saw Broughdale Avenue taken over by students, was one of the biggest challenges they faced during this year's Project L.E.A.R.N.

London Police Service has laid 105 criminal charges during Project L.E.A.R.N. this year, up from 77 last year, despite the program running for a week shorter.

London police released statistics on September 23 about Project L.E.A.R.N. (Liquor Enforcement and Reduction of Noise), a program that puts extra patrols during the first month of school around Fanshawe College, Western University and the downtown area.

This year’s program ran from August 28 to September 20, following Western’s Homecoming.

In the past, police officers had a zero-tolerance policy regarding the enforcement of laws and by-laws during Project L.E.A.R.N.

This year, however, London police went in with a softer approach, handing out warnings for offences that could warrant charges.

“This year we took a different stance,” said Const. Ken Steeves, media relations officer for London Police Service. “Instead, where appropriate, we will issue warnings. And then, of course, if the activity continues, then there’s a good chance the person or people will be charged.”

While the number of issued criminal charges went up, the percentage of students who were charged went down to 14.3 per cent from 19.5 per cent last year. The percentage of non-students who were charged with criminal offences went up to 85.3 per cent compared to last year’s 80.5 per cent.

The number of provincial offence notices went down to 1422 this year from 2307 last year.

London police gave two criminal offence notices and 213 provincial offence notices during Homecoming weekend. Last year’s homecoming resulted in 270 provincial offences.

Steeves said there were no major incidents this year, even when a crowd of approximately 7,500 people gathered on Broughdale Avenue during Homecoming.

“This is a great start,” said Matt Stewart, the Fanshawe Student Union president. “I think that the police taking a little bit of a lighter hand rather than a militant-type reaction towards students this year has benefited from one, student relationships with the police has become better this year, and two, we don’t see as many students having to dig into their pockets but instead they’re getting warnings, which in turn is education for them about what is wrong and what is right.”