SUNDRE – One motorist reportedly failed a roadside screening device test while two others received warnings during a recent checkstop.
The Sundre RCMP detachment conducted the operation on the evening of Wednesday, Jan. 31 on the east side of the Red Deer River bridge at the intersection of highways 27-760, or the Bergen Road.
It was held in coordination with members from Fish and Wildlife and municipal bylaw enforcement as well as Alberta Sheriffs, Alberta Conservation and a couple of members from the Didsbury RCMP detachment.
“It was just time to get a checkstop going,” said Sgt. Trent Sperlie the next day during a follow-up phone interview when asked if it was a random checkstop, in response to concerns raised by residents, or perhaps as determined by the department’s internal data indicating a greater need for enforcement at that location.
“One of our new members, part of their field training is to do a CAPRA project for the community,” Sperlie explained, adding the member had the opportunity to learn about organizing a checkstop in coordination with partners from multiple agencies.
The acronym stands for Clients, Acquiring and analyzing information, Partnership, Response and Assessment for continuous improvement.
“Checkstops are something that we want to do more of, and we’re going to do a couple more throughout the summer,” the sergeant added.
In the more than three hours that the checkstop was underway, with motorists guided to proceed through the loop at the Veterans Homecoming Park cenotaph next to the intersection off of Highway 760, members contacted between 500 and 600 people, he said.
Three vehicles ended up being towed away and impounded as a result of immediate roadside suspensions, he said.
“They didn’t blow in the breathalyzer, they were given immediate roadside sanctions,” he said.
“They did the roadside screening device, which doesn’t give a reading; it just tells you warning or fail.”
One motorist failed while the other two received warnings. A failed test represents a blood alcohol content over the legal amount of 0.08 per cent and results in a 30-day seizure while a warning, which represents an amount of alcohol in the system still below the legal limit, results in a three-day confiscation of the vehicle.
No charges were laid, he said when asked.
Asked what else might authorize officers to seize and impound a vehicle aside from impaired driving, Sperlie said one of the vehicles was uninsured and another was being operated by a motorist with no driver’s licence. In those situations, police can impound the vehicle “to prevent the continuation of the offence,” he said.
Overall, the sergeant said the checkstop went well.
“I think the outcome was very positive; the majority of the comments from the public were very positive,” he said, adding there was also a good turnout from the multiple agencies involved.
Sperlie also said he hopes the detachment will be able to organize and mobilize more checkstops this spring and summer.
