The Bonnyville RCMP are clearing up some confusion about their new mandatory roadside screening process.
According to Cpl. Kim Hillier of the local detachment, officers conducted a check stop over the holidays to inform the public about their new regulations.
She explained how some information is being misconstrued when it comes to the mandatory roadside screening.
“The mandatory side of it is for the driver. If we ask, you have to provide (a sample). It doesn’t necessarily mean an officer is going to ask at every stop,” she detailed. “The basis of the stop has to be legal, we’re not just randomly picking cars… it has to be a legal stop, then the officer can request a mandatory screening."
Hillier added, this means that officers pulling you over for speeding in the middle of the afternoon has the option of conducting a mandatory roadside screening.
Local RCMP said the feedback they heard from residents during their check stop was constructive.
"I would say 98 per cent of the feedback from the drivers was very positive. They felt it was quick, easy, and an effective way to deal with possible impaired drivers. The feedback was really beneficial for us," Hillier noted, adding it was a "good opportunity for our members to offer the answers people have been looking for."
The local detachment's first mandatory roadside screening suspension was issued just after midnight on New Year's Day.
A 24-year-old man received a roadside suspension for blowing a warning following a mandatory screening. His vehicle was towed and seized for seven days and his license has been suspended for 30 days as a result.
EADRCRU assist in arrest
A 60-year-old man has been charged and arrested with the help of a member of the Eastern Alberta District Rural Crime Reduction Unit (EADRCRU).
On Jan. 2, a member of the unit assisted in a traffic stop where RCMP seized a stolen license plate and charged a Bonnyville man with driving an unregistered motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, and driving an uninsured motor vehicle.
The man is also a suspect in an ongoing investigation, however, Hillier couldn't confirm the details.
"Those are still ongoing," she explained.
New Year, new charges
Bonnyville RCMP were called to a Kehewin residence on Jan. 1 regarding a domestic dispute.
"Through the investigation, a Kehewin male made serious threats to harm one of our police officers. It's an ongoing investigation and the male has now been charged with uttering threats, along with domestic violence charges including breaching his conditions and being unlawfully in a dwelling house," described Hillier.
The 36-year-old was "very intoxicated" at the time of his arrest, she noted.
RCMP reminding residents to keep track of their pets
"We've had multiple calls of dogs on the loose and it takes up valuable police officer time to locate the dog and take them to the SPCA," Hillier noted.
With temperatures often below zero, officers are asking pet owners to be conscientious of their furry loved ones.
Within the span of one week, Hillier said they had over six dog-related complaints, including one where a pet owner drove up beside someone walking down the street and "just threw his dog out and drove away."
"We're asking people to make sure their animals are well taken care of so they're not running around in the public."
