L.E.A.R.N.ing the hard way
Students should start budgeting
for Provincial Offence Notices at
the beginning of every school year,
keeping in mind the amount of
tickets issued during Project
L.E.A.R.N. (Liquor Enforcement
And Reduction in Noise).
London Police issued 2,293 tickets this year. That is almost 1,000 more than in 2011, in which 1,353 tickets were given out. London police Const. Chris Stumpf explained, "The project aims to have strict and fair enforcement to bylaws relating to parties, parking, open fires, noise, litter and public urination, as well as excess alcohol consumption."
"The purpose of L.E.A.R.N. is to make the back-to-school environment for both Fanshawe and Western students safe and lawabiding," he continued.
The drastic increase in tickets this year was a result of the newly implemented electronic ticketing capabilities and an additional five officers put on patrol for the duration of the project. Perhaps the biggest influence was the zero-tolerance rule applied after the March 17 riot on Fleming Drive near Fanshawe College.
In May 2012, the City of London drafted a nuisance bylaw that "allows police to enter on private property, to deal with incidences before they become so out of control as on Fleming Drive," said Stumpf. "It allows what's called an order to be used to allow police to enter the property and basically disseminate a problem before it gets started."
However, of the 2,293 tickets that were issued, non-students accounted for 44.3 per cent. Nonstudents also made up the vast majority (88.5 per cent) of the 61 criminal charges that were laid.
Sara Gasior, a student at Western University, said she was wrongly accused of urinating in public and received a ticket amounting to $305. "I don't think it's an accurate representation," she said. "For instance, I got my ticket for urinating in public — I wasn't actually urinating in public, but that statistic is going to go into the pile they're going to get for students that did urinate in public."
Stumpf said these statistics are portrayed in fairness to students. "I think it would be unfair to say that, for example, here under Provincial Offence Notices, that almost 2,300 offences were committed by students. These statistics are fair to show that most of the offences, although part of the project that's designed towards students were not committed by students."
"It would be difficult and maybe even wrong for police to target only students when there may be non-students who are also committing the same offences," he continued.
Gasior said she understands why police are doing this and thinks it is a scare tactic. "When people hear about other people getting tickets, you become a lot more cautious in the future. I know that all my friends who know I have (been ticketed) will probably never urinate in public."
But she added that this police presence isn't going to stop the inevitable behaviour on special occasions throughout the year.
"There are only two to three times a year when this actually is an issue and that's on Homecoming weekend and St. Paddy's weekend. Any other time of year I don't think it's ever an issue because people are studying, busy with school or their partying is confined to the bars."
"There are penalties to your actions," she added. "It just really sucks when you're the guinea pig."'
Police are already looking at focusing more proactive resources to the areas surrounding Western and Fanshawe for next year.
London Police issued 2,293 tickets this year. That is almost 1,000 more than in 2011, in which 1,353 tickets were given out. London police Const. Chris Stumpf explained, "The project aims to have strict and fair enforcement to bylaws relating to parties, parking, open fires, noise, litter and public urination, as well as excess alcohol consumption."
"The purpose of L.E.A.R.N. is to make the back-to-school environment for both Fanshawe and Western students safe and lawabiding," he continued.
The drastic increase in tickets this year was a result of the newly implemented electronic ticketing capabilities and an additional five officers put on patrol for the duration of the project. Perhaps the biggest influence was the zero-tolerance rule applied after the March 17 riot on Fleming Drive near Fanshawe College.
In May 2012, the City of London drafted a nuisance bylaw that "allows police to enter on private property, to deal with incidences before they become so out of control as on Fleming Drive," said Stumpf. "It allows what's called an order to be used to allow police to enter the property and basically disseminate a problem before it gets started."
However, of the 2,293 tickets that were issued, non-students accounted for 44.3 per cent. Nonstudents also made up the vast majority (88.5 per cent) of the 61 criminal charges that were laid.
Sara Gasior, a student at Western University, said she was wrongly accused of urinating in public and received a ticket amounting to $305. "I don't think it's an accurate representation," she said. "For instance, I got my ticket for urinating in public — I wasn't actually urinating in public, but that statistic is going to go into the pile they're going to get for students that did urinate in public."
Stumpf said these statistics are portrayed in fairness to students. "I think it would be unfair to say that, for example, here under Provincial Offence Notices, that almost 2,300 offences were committed by students. These statistics are fair to show that most of the offences, although part of the project that's designed towards students were not committed by students."
"It would be difficult and maybe even wrong for police to target only students when there may be non-students who are also committing the same offences," he continued.
Gasior said she understands why police are doing this and thinks it is a scare tactic. "When people hear about other people getting tickets, you become a lot more cautious in the future. I know that all my friends who know I have (been ticketed) will probably never urinate in public."
But she added that this police presence isn't going to stop the inevitable behaviour on special occasions throughout the year.
"There are only two to three times a year when this actually is an issue and that's on Homecoming weekend and St. Paddy's weekend. Any other time of year I don't think it's ever an issue because people are studying, busy with school or their partying is confined to the bars."
"There are penalties to your actions," she added. "It just really sucks when you're the guinea pig."'
Police are already looking at focusing more proactive resources to the areas surrounding Western and Fanshawe for next year.
