With another homecoming season behind them, Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) are going over the numbers, and for the most part, they’re pleased.
The annual initiatives begin with Project Safe Semester, which sees an additional police presence in areas with establishments frequented by post-secondary students. (Think: Downtown Kitchener, Uptown Waterloo and the University District.)
This year, Project Safe Semester ran between Aug. 28 and Sept. 26.
Over that period, 760 total charges were laid, of which 136 were Liquor Licence Control Act offences.
This past weekend was homecoming and WRPS said they did see a slight increase in the number of charges, but overall it was better than years past.
Thirty-one Liquor Licence Control Act charges were laid, 60 Highway Traffic Act charges, and four Criminal Code offences handed out.
The total of 104 charges represents a 3 per cent increase over last year.
Cst. Melissa Quarrie, Public Information Officer, WRPS, told 570 NewsRadio police were exceptionally pleased with one specific aspect.
“Really happy to see no street gatherings again this year,” Quarrie went on to go over the rules, “We’d like to remind people that liquor consumption on private property only and to make sure that if you are choosing to drive, that you’re choosing to drive sober and following all highway traffic act regulations.”
These initiatives, including those put in place around St. Patrick’s Day, are a major focus of WRPS. They are constantly updating their processes to make them as effective as possible, she said.
“It’s a year-long process in terms of when one homecoming ends or when one safe semester initiative ends, we then go back to the drawing table and the planning table with our partners across the Region. Whether that be the City of Waterloo, paramedic services, fire rescue, our partners at the Ontario Provincial Police and the post-secondary institutions. It’s very much a collaborative effort to ensure the safety of the students and the greater community.”
Guelph Police also had their collective hands full as homecoming at the U of G took over this past weekend.
Police say they were prepared with extra staff ready to deal with the large crowds expected. They say at one point on Oct. 4, the crowds on Chancellors Way grew to an estimated 10,000 people. It forced the closure of Chancellors Way as well as a section of Edinburgh Road South, between Stone Road and Willsonview.
But, police say there were no major issues.
They are investigating after three people were sprayed by a noxious substance early Sunday morning. The assailant fled
Guelph Police say the issued over 80 liquor control act charges and over 80 noise complaints.