Rowdy Waterloo homecoming blamed for spike in student charges

Waterloo Regional Police blame a rowdy 2014 Homecoming for a 25 per cent spike in the number of charges against students at Waterloo's two universities, compared to the same time period in 2013.

From Labour Day until homecoming weekend at the end of September, Waterloo Regional Police run an initiative called Safe Semester, designed to put more officers on the ground in the Waterloo's university areas.

In 2014, police laid 758 charges during Safe Semester, a 25 per cent increase from2013. Those charges are also the second highest total in the last five years.

"The majority would have been related to alcohol consumption and actions brought on by the consumption of alcohol," said Inspector Craig Ambrose,with theWRPSNorth Division, who leads Safe Semester.

"Drinking in public, open alcohol,carrying open liquor, relating to consumption of alcohol in the bars, things like that," he said.

Of those 758 charges laid in 2014 during Safe Semester, 470 were for Liquor Licence Act infractions, 27 were criminal code charges, 55 were bylaw infractions and 175 were Highway Traffic Act infractions.

Police says that's because there was an "increased disregard for rules and laws by some students."

• Beer bottles thrown at police at rowdy Waterloo homecoming party

A report to the police services board highlights one 2014 homecoming week incident in particular, where beer bottles were thrown at police officers on State Street and police vehicles were vandalized.

There were no injuries, but the damage to police property is estimated at $1,500.

"This past year at homecoming unfortunately some things got out of control that resulted in a dangerous situation for our officers and for the public and for the members of the crowd that werethere," said Ambrose.

The police will taking a different approach to homecoming next year, creating an operational plan specifically for the day that is modelling after their plan for St. Patrick's Day parties.

"Knowing that it's going to occur, to plan for it, to create positive alternatives for the students, as opposed to letting them set up a party on the front lawn that's illegal, or inviting keg parties, things like that, we try to support a positive venture, responsible drinking," said Ambrose.