Mounties hand out two charges and nearly 400 tickets during initiative in Moosomin area

Saskatchewan RCMP officers handed out two criminal charges and hundreds of tickets during a traffic enforcement initiative in the Moosomin area.

According to the RCMP, between Friday and Sunday, police issued 395 traffic tickets, removed 12 drivers from the road for allegedly consuming alcohol or drugs before driving and laid criminal charges of impaired driving and refusing to comply with a roadside demand.

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Police also conducted 10 roadside inspections, completed nearly 1,000 mandatory alcohol screenings and issued 111 warnings.

Of the 395 tickets, the RCMP said 245 were for speeding, 25 were for exceeding 60 km/h while passing an emergency vehicle and 17 were for improper use of seatbelts or booster seats.

Jeremy Knodel a staff sergeant with the Saskatchewan RCMP’s traffic services, said officers on motorcycles were involved in the traffic initiative. He described the bikes as an important tool for police.

“Motorcycles are an extremely effective enforcement tool as they allow officers to position themselves closer to traffic and observe driver behaviour from a unique vantage point,” Knodel said in a statement.

“Saskatchewan RCMP’s motorcycle unit can often identify infractions that may be more difficult to detect from a regular police vehicle. They can move easier through traffic, monitor multiple vehicles, and respond quickly when unsafe driving behaviours are observed, allowing us to improve safety for everyone on Saskatchewan roads.”

Check stop leads to tickets issued in Regina Beach 

In Regina Beach, check stops took 23 drivers off the road over the long weekend.

Officers from Lumsden RCMP, neighbouring detachments, Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol conducted three check stops in the Regina Beach area.

They conducted 950 mandatory alcohol screenings and 25 drug screening tests.

Two drivers are now facing criminal charges, while another 21 had their licences suspended. All 23 were removed from the road for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police also issued 20 traffic tickets and 36 written warnings.

In an RCMP news release, Staff Sergeant Jason Sauve said “these results show people are still making unsafe choices.”