Student housing areas targeted as Project LEARN begins again

As another school year begins at Fanshawe College, so too does another term of Project LEARN, an initiative by the London Police Service intended to maintain a careful eye on students arriving in London around the start of the year.

The initiative, scheduled this fall from September 2 — October 2, stands for “Liquor Enforcement And Reduction of Noise.” In addition to running the program in the fall London Police revisit the project in the spring as school draws to a close.

“The objective is to maintain a high visible police presence to proactively dissuade unlawful or inappropriate behaviour and to adequately respond to calls for service in a timely manner,” said Constable Amy Phillipo, media liaison for the London Police Service.

For the duration of the project, London Police will be assigned to common areas around Fanshawe College, the University of Western Ontario, and along the Richmond Row. London Police will be active in all areas that are known to house students.

The focus of the initiative is to promote safety and ensure that students don't become unruly or destructive while they settle into their school year. Police will be watchful of any behaviour not in concordance with local by-laws, the Provincial Offence Act, or the Canadian Criminal Code.

“The most common infractions are having/consuming alcohol under 19, having open alcohol in public place, public intoxication, public urination, noise, fire infractions, and drug related matters,” said Const. Phillipo.

The autumn phase of Project LEARN ran from September 3 — October 3 in 2009, in which officers laid a total of 1,657 Provincial Offence Notices and 81 Criminal Code Charges against students and non-students alike. In their summary, London Police indicated some improvements over the previous year — specifically, fewer Criminal Code charges laid in total, and response to far fewer fires.

Though the number of offences was noticeably higher than in fall 2008; the program ran for five weeks that year, concluding late in September with 1,286 Provincial Offence Notices laid and 107 Criminal Code charges.