WEYBURN – The Weyburn Police Service received 75 calls for service during the week of Nov. 20 to 26, resulting in a total of 21 charges. Of the 21 charges, eight were laid under the Criminal Code of Canada, seven under the Traffic Safety Act (TSA), three under the City of Weyburn Bylaws, and three under other Acts or Regulations. Three of the eight criminal charges were in relation to individuals who either failed to comply with a condition of their release, or failed to attend court when required to do so.
On Friday evening, the Weyburn Police Service conducted a High Visibility Enforcement (HVE) project focused on traffic safety. Between the hours of 6 p.m. to midnight, officers conducted approximately 40 traffic stops on vehicles to check for driver sobriety and other traffic-related offences. A total of eight tickets were issued during the six-hour project. The majority of tickets issued were to drivers who were exceeding the posted speed limit, with speeds ranging from 20-27 kmph over the limit. The Weyburn Police Service will be conducting more HVE’s in the coming weeks.
Throughout the week, officers have increased patrols in school zones. Several warnings were issued to drivers who parked in No Parking zones outside Legacy Park and St. Michael elementary schools. No Parking zones in these areas are important to pedestrian safety as they ensure that motorists have a clear line of sight to see children using the crosswalks and crossing the road.
Those who ignore the signs and park in No Parking zones not only jeopardize the safety of pedestrians, but are also subject to a $70 fine. Officers will be opting to issue tickets more often than warnings in the future.
On Tuesday, an officer on patrol observed a vehicle being driven by an individual who was known to be prohibited from driving. The officer conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, resulting in the driver being charged under the Criminal Code for prohibited driving and the vehicle being impounded for 30 days. The adult male was released with an upcoming court date.
Also on Tuesday, the Weyburn Police Service received a RID (Report Impaired Driving) call from a concerned individual reporting a vehicle they witnessed swerving on the road and nearly hitting the ditch. Officers responded to the area, located the suspect vehicle, and spoke to the driver who displayed strong signs of impairment. Further investigation resulted in the adult male being arrested and charged with impaired driving. The male was released with an upcoming court date. Thanks to an alert resident who immediately called to report the erratic driver, another impaired driver was removed from our roads.
With the festive season fast approaching, The Weyburn Police Service would like to remind all drivers to plan a safe ride wherever they are going if they are “celebrating” in any way that would affect their ability to safely operate a vehicle. Impaired driving, whether by alcohol or drugs (illegal or prescription), continues to be the leading criminal cause of death in Canada. The Weyburn Police Service has arrested and charged five individuals for impaired driving in the past few weeks. Plan a Safe Ride Home.
