Despite a multitude of opinions, everyone wants to work together.
That was the takeaway of a public participation meeting last week at London City Hall, which brought together the city’s Town and Gown Committee, London Police Service, as well as members of the Fanshawe College and Western communities. Each group offered input into police engagement strategies in neighbourhoods around the city’s postsecondary instiutions.
“We cannot ignore what the public is bringing to the table,” said police Chief Brad Duncan. “It is time to refocus again; we don’t want to be police-centric.”
Given past incidents, rowdy student behaviour has been managed more so by strict enforcement, rather than by engagement, Duncan admitted at the outset of the meeting. This approach has ensured student safety and prevented crime, he continued, but given recent criticisms of Project LEARN’s zero-tolerance approach, there is a need to move forward.
The chief hopes to find a way of limiting strict enforcement tactics with students, while ensuring a pleasant living environment for all residents.
How exactly to do that, however, will be a discussion for another day.
This was not a night for answers. Three and a half hours into the meeting, with no issues resolved, the consensus was another meeting would be necessary.
Discord in the public gallery never waned as residents in student off-campus housing communities came forward, condemning inappropriate student behaviour, while praising Project LEARN for helping them regain a pleasant living environment.
“My family has lived (in my neighbourhood) for 58 years and it has gone from a family neighbourhood to crap,” said John Warner, who lives on Ann Street, where many Western students live.
Warner called his neighbourhood “student hell” from September to May; his voice cracked as he spoke of constant vandalism, urination on his property and a need for increased police patrolling in the student-laden area.
“It’s a wonderful neighbourhood, but we have a real problem; the garbage from last week’s party is still there. Take a drive down there; see what it’s like. It’s no fun.”
Many other residents said they felt safer knowing a police presence in the area helped keep parties quiet and lewd behavior subdued. As one woman said, Project LEARN makes life more livable.
Warnings don’t work; zero-tolerance does, echoed another woman from the Fanshawe area.
That’s not to say some residents did not stand up for students. A number of long-term Londoners said they have no problems with students in their neighbourhoods. Some suggested more student involvement, even neighbourhood captains, in student-centric neighbourhoods to foster mutual respect and a friendly relationship would reduce complaints.
Students from both Fanshawe and Western were well represented in the gallery, collectively sharing stories of feeling unfairly targeted by police.
“There was a riot – get over it. I’m not going to pretend it didn’t happen. Those students who were involved made the city of London look bad. The riot was handled by the police, charges were laid and people have been held accountable,” said Kyle Parker, a Fanshawe student.
“This happened two years ago. Now, let me remind you that Fanshawe is a two-to-three-year program school. People involved in the riot – bye-bye – they’re gone.”
Parker agrees action needs to be taken to ensure another riot doesn’t happen, but police have gone overboard, fishing for students to charge, even when charges aren’t warranted. He called the police’s approach to London’s student population one of “prejudice and discrimination.”
Amir Eftekharpour, vice-president (external) for the University Students’ Council, said it is important to include the voice of the students and together discuss how to address rowdy behaviour. He suggested a more education-based approach, with the community working together to ensure students are positively engaged and aware of issues within their residential communities.
There should be a Project TEACH, not a Project LEARN, he said.
And while the finger-pointing never stopped, every party indicated a willingness to work together to find a solution – one that would respect the living situations and comforts of both students and long-term residents.
At the evening’s close, London Mayor Joe Fontana lamented the obvious “big chasm” in the room, noting many players and issues were at stake in looking for a solution – housing, zoning, noise and liquor by-laws, students, residents, landlords and police. The issue is multifaceted and “a holistic approach is needed,” he said.
A motion was passed to hold another public participation meeting to further address the issue. The date has yet to be announced.