Richard Froese
South Peace News
Peace Regional RCMP promoted safety and crime prevention over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday and during November.
Traffic services unit officers were busy with checkstops trying to nab impaired drivers, Const. Juli-Ann Strilaiff says.
Officers completed five checkstops on New Year’s Eve alone, assisted by Alberta Sheriffs.
About 140 mandatory alcohol screening tests were conducted and six drivers were found to be above zero, but within the legal limits. One person was charged under the provincial sanctions.
“Several of December’s impaired drivers also needed to be educated in mandatory alcohol screening,” Strilaiff says.
“Mandatory means just that, it is mandatory.”
She advises drivers to comply with an officer’s request or a screening test.
“If a police officer anywhere in the province comes to your driver’s side door and you refuse to provide a sample of your breath for the purposes of ensuring you are not impaired, you will be charged under the provincial sanctions just the same as you would if you provided a breath sample and failed,” Strilaiff says.
Drivers in the graduated licensing program have a zero tolerance for any alcohol in their system while driving, she notes.
Peace Regional traffic services officers also travel to other parts of northwest Alberta to assist other RCMP detachments, including High Prairie, Faust, Fairview, McLennan, Valleyview, Spirit River, and High Level.
During December, police conducted 11 checkstops and about 500 mandatory alcohol screening tests were completed.
Peace Regional RCMP also partnered with Alberta Health Services, Emergency Medical Services and local fire departments in December to promote impaired driving awareness and education initiatives in Peace River, Nampa and Grimshaw.
Several checkstops were also set up on National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day, Dec. 4. Police found one impaired driver in the 105 vehicles stopped.
Christmas was also a fun time for officers. Peace Regional RCMP was visited by two members of the Elf Unit in December.
Each day, Const. Cruizer and Const. Candycane visited local schools, businesses and communities all over the region, providing safety tips.
The Elf Unit is a fun public education campaign led by Strilaiff with local media outlets to promote public safety and crime prevention.
Officers were also on the streets in local parades.
“Peace Regional detachment also had the joy of participating in the Peace River Santa Claus Parade where RCMP handed out more than 3,000 candy canes and then the Grimshaw Santa Claus Parade where we handed out more than 1,500 candy canes,” Strilaiff says.
“We could not have done it without the help of some local children from the communities we serve who wanted to be part of their very first parade.
“It was good to see so many smiling children out to watch the parade.”
Police remind people to protect their vehicles from becoming a crime statistic.
“Typically at this time of year (winter) , we have an influx of vehicles being stolen as people let their vehicles warm up for extended periods of time, such as before going to work,” Strilaiff says.
“With weather as warm as it has been, this has been less of an issue.
“Still, vehicles are being stolen where preventative measures could have been taken, such as not leaving key in the vehicle, locking the vehicle and not leaving valuables inside.”
