Waterloo police’s Project Safe Semester continues to see a major increase in the number of charges laid in and around post-secondary schools in the region.
Over the first three weeks of the campaign, there have been a total of 507 charges laid since the program got underway on Aug. 26.
READ MORE: Waterloo police lay 219 charges in Week 2 of Project Safe Semester
“Our enhanced police visibility and enforcement in the universities and college areas is part of our commitment to ensuring public safety for everyone, including the students, residents and the community as a whole,” said Waterloo police chief Bryan Larkin in a statement.
In the third week of the campaign, which ended Sept. 15, there were 173 charges laid. This represented a 140 per cent increase over the same period in 2017.
The total includes charges laid under the Liquor Licence Act (73), Highway Traffic Act (79), Trespass to Property Act (4), By-Law (3), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (2) and Criminal Code (12).
READ MORE: Waterloo’s Project Safe Semester sees 69% increase in charges compared to 2017
All three weeks have seen a huge increase in charges laid in 2017. Week 2 saw a year-over-year increase in charges of 162 per cent, and in Week 1, the increase was 69 per cent.
This campaign is being conducted with the help of Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo campus police, Conestoga College, City of Waterloo By-law and the Waterloo Fire Department.