Spring parties cause problems
Beer bottles once again rained from the sky, much like they had in last September, as year-end partiers around Fanshawe College gained Project LEARN police officers attention last month.
The project, which started on April 9 and ran through until April 26, targeted areas surrounding Fanshawe, UWO and Richmond Row in the downtown core.
London Police said that 374 Provincial Offence Notice were laid, which include noise complaints, liquor license act charges, urination in public and other by-law violations. While 41 Criminal Code charges were also laid during the month-long blitz.
A specific incident in the early hours of April 19 on Thurman Circle, just east of the college and a common area for student housing, gained police attention when they spotted a partier with open alcohol. A crowd gathered when on-duty Project LEARN officers tried to address the situation and began throwing beer bottles.
“The goal [was] to reduce noise and enforce liquor violations,” explained Amy Phillipo, London Police Services public information officer. “Any reduction in either would be considered a success and persons being charged for these violations would be considered a success because they would have to take responsibility for their actions.”
LEARN (Liquor Enforcement and Reduction in Noise) which first appeared between August 29 and September 29, lead to a total of 808 Provincial Offence Notices (tickets) and 27 Criminal Code Charges.
And though LEARN is relatively new, it's not the first project of its type around Fanshawe.
“The previous academic year had “Speakeasy Project” [in] September 2006 and April 2007,” Phillipo continued. “1,232 Provincial Offence Notices were laid and 20 Criminal Code Charges and was successful in resulting in high enforcement statistics. We believe that the enforcement action and increased police presence has deterred unlawful activities.”
“The College feels very strongly that the message needs to get out to students,” said Emily Marcoccia, the college's manager of marketing and communication. “Inappropriate behaviour in the community is not acceptable and we support the Police in charging people who break the law.
“[The April 12 incident] was particularly disappointing after all of the efforts the College, the Student Union, the Police, and the City have made to try and influence those few students.”
The college is in turn appealing to students to party responsibly, which includes limiting the guests to people you know, keeping the number of party goers down, remain off public property, do not carry open liquor in public, and remain respectful of the noise by-laws.
Police said that of all charges laid during Project LEARN 63 per cent were Fanshawe College or University of Western Ontario students.
The project, which started on April 9 and ran through until April 26, targeted areas surrounding Fanshawe, UWO and Richmond Row in the downtown core.
London Police said that 374 Provincial Offence Notice were laid, which include noise complaints, liquor license act charges, urination in public and other by-law violations. While 41 Criminal Code charges were also laid during the month-long blitz.
A specific incident in the early hours of April 19 on Thurman Circle, just east of the college and a common area for student housing, gained police attention when they spotted a partier with open alcohol. A crowd gathered when on-duty Project LEARN officers tried to address the situation and began throwing beer bottles.
“The goal [was] to reduce noise and enforce liquor violations,” explained Amy Phillipo, London Police Services public information officer. “Any reduction in either would be considered a success and persons being charged for these violations would be considered a success because they would have to take responsibility for their actions.”
LEARN (Liquor Enforcement and Reduction in Noise) which first appeared between August 29 and September 29, lead to a total of 808 Provincial Offence Notices (tickets) and 27 Criminal Code Charges.
And though LEARN is relatively new, it's not the first project of its type around Fanshawe.
“The previous academic year had “Speakeasy Project” [in] September 2006 and April 2007,” Phillipo continued. “1,232 Provincial Offence Notices were laid and 20 Criminal Code Charges and was successful in resulting in high enforcement statistics. We believe that the enforcement action and increased police presence has deterred unlawful activities.”
“The College feels very strongly that the message needs to get out to students,” said Emily Marcoccia, the college's manager of marketing and communication. “Inappropriate behaviour in the community is not acceptable and we support the Police in charging people who break the law.
“[The April 12 incident] was particularly disappointing after all of the efforts the College, the Student Union, the Police, and the City have made to try and influence those few students.”
The college is in turn appealing to students to party responsibly, which includes limiting the guests to people you know, keeping the number of party goers down, remain off public property, do not carry open liquor in public, and remain respectful of the noise by-laws.
Police said that of all charges laid during Project LEARN 63 per cent were Fanshawe College or University of Western Ontario students.
