Pattison Media file photo 

By Darren Rathwell

RCMP will be out in Brooks, Redcliff and Dunmore

Holiday checkstops underway in more ways than one this year: Medicine Hat police

Dec 3, 2021 | 3:54 PM

Holiday season checkstops are returning in Medicine Hat once again, but police say they’ll be pulling over vehicles in more ways than one this year.

“We’re going to set up a couple of nights with checkstops coming up in the next few weeks before Christmas, and we’re going to continue with our ‘roving’ checkstops where we have single cars our there,” Sgt. Gerald Sadlemeyer told CHAT News.

Last year the traditional roadside checks were not held by police over COVID-19-related safety concerns to officers and motorists.

Instead of a visible show on the roads, police carried out single vehicle checks instead, and over 80 impaired driving charges were laid.

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Meanwhile, Sgt. Sadlemeyer believes changes to Alberta’s impaired driving legislation passed a year ago this month are proving effective in keeping impaired drivers off the road.

Rather than going to court, first time offenders face $1,000 fines, and some are also given a QR code to see their information online.

“When people have the effect that they log in the next morning and find out their fine is sitting there waiting for them, (plus) it’s been well publicized, I believe it has been a deterrent,’ Sgt. Sadlemeyer said.

As of Dec. 3, police say 101 impaired driving charges were laid in Medicine hat in 2021, while there were about 130 in 2020.

Meanwhile, RCMP say static and ‘roving’ checkstops are planned for the coming month through out the rural area, and will include Brooks, Redcliff, and Dunmore.

RCMP Sgt. Michael Courty says Dec. 4 will mark the kickoff to holiday checkstop season, as it’s National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day.

“We’re recommending to the public that if they choose to partake in festivities, they choose a safe way to get home,” Sgt. Courty said.