Police officers across Quebec are gearing up for a big hit not only during the holiday season but year-round to catch drivers who are at risk of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
“The goal behind it was to save lives,” recalls Sergeant Mathieu Sinnott, provincial coordination on impaired skills for the Sûreté du Québec (SQ).
Around 11:30 p.m. Friday, police cars from Montreal and Longueuil formed a funnel on Roland-Therrien Boulevard in Longueuil.
“Are you okay ma’am? Where were you this evening? » asks the patrolman. She is coming back from work. The agent let him pass.
After some intervention, a man admitted to drinking a few glasses of sangria. He should pull over and take a breathalyzer test. Finally, his blood alcohol level is below the limit of 8 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood.
Combined operation
As part of a coordinated national alcohol-drug operation from Nov. 30 to Jan. 2, eight police raids took place simultaneously in Greater Montreal on Friday.
Earlier in the evening, more than sixty patrol officers from several Greater Montreal police forces participated in an Influence Squad exercise, an SQ initiative that allows troopers to share their knowledge.
On the menu: Coordinating tests, mandatory screenings and a reminder of what the law says since the country legalized cannabis in 2018.
“It’s good Update Compared to what we learned in school,” explains Claudie Fillion, a patrol officer with the Longueville Urban Police Service for two and a half years.
“On the road, there is a lot of impaired ability. We see everything. Alcohol is very high. People often overestimate their driving ability. Many people exceed 0.08,” he emphasizes.
Methamphetamine, cocaine and cannabis
But the police are also learning about different types of drugs. Stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine are among the more screened drugs than marijuana, Sergeant Sinnott recalled.
If police intensify their intervention during the holidays, raids are carried out throughout the year, the coach warns. Since the activation of the Influence Team at the end of 2020, 15,000 interventions have been made to validate their capabilities.
Sergeant Synod recalled that driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs was a real scourge.
Thierry Laforce / QMI Agency
In Quebec, an average of 122 people have died each year as a result of driving collisions over the past five years.
Those found to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs risk criminal charges, vehicle impoundment and driver’s license suspension.
There are many alternatives such as a designated driver, taxi, public transport, a ride service like Nez rouge or choosing to stay with a host for the evening.
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