On January 11, officers from Brantford Police Service’s Better Enforcement Action Team (B.E.A.T) seized 45 grams of marijuana – an approximate street value of $450 – from a residence room at Lucy Marco Place on Queen Street. Also seized was $475 in cash, which police say were proceeds from drug sales.

One 19-year old male student has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and possession of the proceeds of crime. He has been released on the promise to appear for a court date in March.

The student is also facing consequences in accordance with the Laurier Student Code of Conduct.

“The basics are that obviously drugs are prohibited in residence,” says Christopher Eley, manager of Brantford residence. “Drugs are on ongoing issue on a number of campuses. There have been drug-related incidences in [Laurier Brantford] residence in the past.”

For dealing with cases such as these, the Laurier Student Code of Conduct lists a three level system.

“If the first incidence is relatively minor, we will put the student on residence probation,” says Eley. “The second level would be a one week suspension and they would remain on probation, and the final step would be eviction from residence and depending on the severity of the incident, we can go to level two or level three right away.”

Eley thinks that this incident will immediately surpass level one.

“It will certainly be at least a level two or a level three,” says Eley.

This is the first serious drug-related incident at Laurier Brantford during this school year.