Halifax Regional Police Association release:
On Saturday evening Halifax Regional Police Association (HRPA) members were confronted with the extremely challenging task of trying to contain thousands of students celebrating homecoming at Dalhousie.
While some students in attendance were simply there to enjoy the event, there were a significant number that crossed the line resulting in injuries, property damage, considerable disruption for residents of the area and serious risk to public safety.
To the residents around this event, the rank and file of the HRPA understand your frustration and safety concerns. We assure you that the officers attending did everything in their power to control the situation however with the resources allocated it was impossible for our members to contain or shut it
down.
Under the circumstances members working were able to provide safe passage out of the area for multiple injured people including a victim of a stabbing, extinguish fires lit by the crowd and even do
some enforcement of the liquor control act.
Multiple officers were injured when they attempted to gain control of the crowd and more officers had to be called in from neighbouring districts to assist as the evening went on. This left significant areas of
HRM with reduced police coverage. HRPA would like to recognize the RCMP for their assistance in covering some of the areas that were left with severely reduced police coverage.
The Halifax Regional Police Association is calling on Halifax Regional Police Management, the HRM City Council and Dalhousie University to address the ever-growing problem of homecoming. This event continues to grow and has become a significant police and public safety issue.
Planning and preparation needs to become much more robust to police this event. No longer can HRM/HRP management rely on calling in a few members with a light operational plan and a hope for the best approach. This has become an event that requires significant resources to police.
Halifax Regional Police Association is proud of how well its members reacted and controlled an uncontrollable situation and hope for a speedy recovery for all the officers injured in this event.
Sgt Dean Stienburg
President of Halifax Regional Police Association