London police report quieter Project L.E.A.R.N. amid increased efforts to tackle street parties

Project Liquor Enforcement and Reduction of Noise (L.E.A.R.N.) has come and gone for another year, and London police are reporting a drop in provincial offence notices and warnings issued.

Police announced on Monday that Project LEARN — which ran throughout September — resulted in 30 provincial offence notices issued, 97 warnings issued, three arrests, and one criminal charge.

Of the 30 provincial offence notices, 17 were in connection to the city’s nuisance bylaw, which was formally amended in late summer as part of a push to crack down on unsanctioned student gatherings.

The numbers represent a sharp decline from 2018, when 36 provincial offence notices and 313 warnings were handed out and nine criminal charges were laid.

The London Police Service’s Project L.E.A.R.N. was first launched in 2007 and involves partnerships with administration and student leaders from Western University and Fanshawe College.

1:58 University District Safety Initiative aimed at curbing unsanctioned street parties.