RPS add mobile drug testing unit in time for holidays

(Courtesy: Regina Police Service)

The Regina Police Service (RPS) has added a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) to its capabilities – as the service works to crack down on impaired drivers.

"Now we have a unit where we can do a lot of testing right there," Inspector Shawn Fenwick explained. "[It] should create efficiencies where we can do the investigations more thoroughly and quicker. We can do all of those tests right there in the in the mobile testing unit, rather than, bringing them downstairs to our detention area."

The MTU contains a breathalyzer and oral fluid testing devices such as Drager and Sotoxa – which are necessary to legally confirm impairment.

Prior to the MTU’s introduction, impaired drivers would have to be transported to Regina Police Headquarters in order for officers to access these tools.

The MTU has been in service less than a week and is already showing promising results, according to Fenwick.

"Really great feedback from our members,” he said. “We're working through a few technical things. But I think it was a great success and a really good start for us."

The timing of this new tool was strategic, according to both RPS and SGI, who injected $25,000 into the project.

"People are festive, they are celebrating, and they are more likely to be out there to drink and drive or ingest drugs so its very important that we have police out there, its equally important any other time of year," Vice President of Traffic and Safety Services for SGI Kwei Quaye explained.

"It is the Christmas season. So, that was kind of timely for us and we anticipate having it on the roads quite a bit here. In the next few weeks over what typically is, a time of year where impaired drivers are out there more than more than normal," Fenwick added.

In addition to the testing equipment in the MTU, RPS employs several officers who are trained drug recognition experts.

"Those members are always on call. Whether they're in the van when they're out there, they are available to us all the time,” Fenwick said. “The training is fairly significant. It's several weeks of in-classroom and it also involves several weeks of in the field training as well."

RPS tests an average of 25,000 drivers annually for impairment in the city.

"A lot of it's creating the awareness and changing behavior," Fenwick noted.

"Our goal is to have zero [impaired drivers],” Quaye added. “38 per cent of the people who die on our roads because of impaired driving, and that's just too high."