The Guelph Police say they faced several challenges during Homecoming celebrations Saturday, including an outdoor afternoon party attended by around 4,000 people.
Police said a plan was in place for Homecoming, but an unexpected demand on their services, including a home invasion and a fatal accident, led to some Homecoming situations receiving lower priority.
From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday police and bylaw officers received 123 noise complaints, handing out 10 tickets. There were 10 arrests for intoxication and seven tickets for public urination issued. Two drivers were arrested for impaired/over 80.
Police issued the following statement on Tuesday afternoon.
"As in previous years, for the 2017 Homecoming, the Guelph Police Service had an operational plan which was produced in collaboration and partnership with the City of Guelph Bylaw, the University of Guelph, Downtown Guelph Business Association, and the University of Guelph Central Student Association. The plan included bringing in additional staff to focus on neighbourhoods where we typically experience Homecoming activities, particularly in the central and south end of the city.
Unlike previous years, we were called to respond to an extremely large party which developed on Chancellors Way between 12:00 p.m and 7:30 p.m. It is estimated that by mid-afternoon, approx. 4000 persons had gathered at this location. The size of the crowd required us to redirect many officers to this location with the goal of ensuring the safety of those in attendance and maintaining public order. This demand on service did impact our resources in other parts of the city.
It was apparent that the extremely hot and summer-like weather contributed to increased activities and more persons taking part in Homecoming activities.
In addition to calls related to Homecoming, we had a number of significant calls for service during the day unrelated to Homecoming, which required significant police resources. This including a home invasion and fatal motor vehicle collision.
On Homecoming, and as is the case each day, we prioritized the demands for service to ensure the appropriate level of response. This meant that an incident which although important and concerning to our residents, is deemed to be a lower priority due to community safety, and therefore there is a delay in the response.
Recognizing the challenges that this day brought and the concerns expressed in the community, we are committed to reviewing the activities of the day and our response. Together with our partners, we will review Homecoming 2017 and develop strategies to respond to future Homecomings to ensure we meet the expectations of our community."
