Operation Fallback

Constable Brian Palmeter is a community liaison officer who works in Halifax’s south end. (NIck Pearce Photo)

Operation Fallback is back.

The designated police patrol, an initiative of the Dalhousie University Community Committee (DUCC), has been on duty since Sept. 1. In that time, it’s responded to about 200 complaints and issued about a dozen tickets for noise and 60 for under age drinking and having open liquor on the street.

Many of the complaints stemmed from two keg parties held on Walnut Street on Sept. 4. The police broke up the parties, issued noise bylaw tickets totalling $900 and made one arrest.

The designated police patrol is a unique partnership — Dalhousie pays for the police officers, while Halifax Regional police donate a cruiser designated to neighbourhoods around the universities. The program regards noise complaints a priority and speeds up response times by police.

The officers can issue tickets under HRM’s noise bylaw and under the provincial Liquor Control Act for such offences as under age drinking and illegally possessing liquor. Both offences carry a hefty fine of $452, while a first noise bylaw ticket is $445.

“Dalhousie is one of the few universities in Canada that has an agreement for extra policing in the surrounding neighbourhoods,” says DUCC chair Larry Maloney, Associate Vice-President, Academic. “The program is greatly appreciated by both students and the neighbours.”

In a random door-to-door survey conducted earlier this year, neighbours said the designated police patrol made a very noticeable difference in lowering noise levels on their streets. Students reported the presence of the cruiser makes them feel safe.