Form the Record Friday October 16 2009

City to look at hiring extra police for student areas

By Liz Monteiro, Record staff

WATERLOO – Christine Carmody likes the idea of police officers
patrolling her neighbourhood. And the Waterloo woman has
no problem with the City of Waterloo paying the costs of hiring extra
police patrols in the Northdale neighbourhood adjacent to Wilfrid
Laurier University.

“Bylaw cannot control it. Police are the only ones who can stop it,’’
she said, referring to student rowdiness including late-night
parties, loud gatherings and public urination.

“It’s a stopgap measure but not a solution,’’ said Carmody, who
believes changing the zoning in the area to allow higher-density
apartments rather than singlehouse dwellings is the answer.

Coun. Ian McLean wants city staff to look at the potential costs
of hiring police officers to patrol streets near the two universities
during the months of September and October and March and April.

“Since I’ve been on council, student housing and behavioural
issues have been the No. 1issue on council,’’ he said. “I’ve finally got
to the point to say it’s time to say enough.’’

He wants to starts a pilot project in which the city hires paidduty
officers to walk the street near the universities.
“I’ve waited long enough,’’ he said.
McLean said city bylaw officers are not trained to deal with behavioural
issues and shouldn’t be expected to deal with unruly students.
He also says police have priority calls and public nuisance
calls won’t be responded to immediately if police are dealing with
domestic calls or car crashes.

Carmody said the city has created a “de facto student ghetto”
of her neighbourhood and they should pay the costs.
“Living here isn’t pleasant at all. I’d give anything to get out of
here,’’ she said. Carmody, has lived on Albert
Street for 12 years and has tried unsuccessfully to sell her house.

Police call special policing
a ‘dangerous concept’

“The City of Waterloo keeps downplaying the problem. They
keep saying it’s fine but it’s not fine,’’ said the mother of two
young children.

For homecoming weekend at Laurier earlier this month, Carmody
called Mayor Brenda Halloran and councillor, Jan d’Ailly
when a party next door to her house attracted nearly 400 people
on a Saturday morning.
She said that some students were smoking drugs and drinking
beer on her driveway.
Police responded, shut down the party and laid charges.

Coun. Mark Whaley said that asking citizens to pay extra for
more officers in a selected neighbourhood is a double-tax for
ratepayers.
Police say they, too, are also hesitant about a plan to pay for
extra officers.
“It’s a delicate issue,’’ said Staff Sgt. Mark Bullock.

He is the project co-ordinator for Project Safe Semester, an
enforcement strategy which has increased the police presence in
neighbourhoods surrounding the universities.
Bullock also said paying for extra officers is an “extra burden
on taxpayers.’’
He said if one area of the city gets paid officers, other neighbourhoods
who are experiencing drug activity or a rash of break
and enters will also want extra patrols.

“Other neighbourhoods have issues that are equally important
to them,’’ Bullock said. “Special policing is a dangerous concept.’’
He said that Project Safe Semester has been successful over
its three year lifespan. The fiveweek strategy, which ended after
Laurier’s homecoming weekend on Oct. 4, led to 650 charges this
year.

There were fewer large-scale house parties and this year’s
homecoming weekend was the quietest event in the last five
years, Bullock said.
He said that the Waterloo detachment dedicates one sergeant
and five officers to the neighbourhoods around the
universities year round.
Bullock said that he would like to see council support a police
staffing plan to meet the needs of the neighbourhoods.

Halloran said she’s willing to talk about hiring police officers,
but says that there will be a double cost to the taxpayer.
Halloran said Project Safe Semester had been successful in
enforcing rules and educating students on appropriate behaviour.
“There has been a strong concerted effort from our officers
and the police and there have been positive results,’’ she said.

Jim Barry, the city’s director of bylaw enforcement, said that a
report on the additional costs of hiring police for extra patrols
will come to council in December.
He said that the costs range from $50 to $80 an hour per officer.

David McMurray, dean of students at Laurier, said that the
university is hosting a meeting with councillors and the mayor to
talk about extra police patrols.
He said he wants to know more about how many officers would
patrol the neighbourhoods and when.

McMurray said the university is currently facing a budget crisis
and the institution needs to make cuts and is not looking at increasing
costs.