(WELLINGTON COUNTY, ON) – The Wellington County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) has completed their annual Festive R.I.D.E. Campaign for another season. The local campaign ran from November 25, 2015 to January 16, 2016 in conjunction with the Province’s Festive R.I.D.E. initiative. Officers from the Detachment Festive RIDE team worked alongside uniform members, setting up at strategic locations throughout the County where it was determined that impaired driving was most likely to occur based on intelligence-led policing.
Wellington County OPP conducted 82 dedicated R.I.D.E. initiatives throughout the County, some of which partnered with officers from bordering police agencies including Guelph Police Service (GPS) and Caledon OPP. Over 12,500 vehicles were checked during the seven week initiative by officers who were looking for alcohol and drug impaired drivers.
26 people were charged with drinking and driving offences which included Impaired Driving, Over 80mgs and Refusing to Provide Breath Sample. At the roadside officers also issued 24, 3-day and two, 7-day Warn-Range administrative drivers licence suspensions and a further three, 24-hour licence suspensions under the Province’s novice driver zero alcohol legislation.
Officers were also looking “beyond the plate” over the campaign period and laid;
17 Criminal Code Charges
9 Drug Charges
17 Liquor Licence Act
9 charges of drive a vehicle while their licence was suspended
58 Highway Traffic Act Charges and,
11 Insurance Act offences
“We will continue our efforts to reduce the overall number of impaired drivers in Wellington County by focusing our efforts and working with our partners throughout the year. The number of charges detected in addition to the drinking driving offences is troubling says” Detachment Commander Inspector Scott Lawson. “We can’t be deterred.”