Winnipeg police lay nine criminal charges during first week of checkstop program

A file image of the Winnipeg Police Service taken on Dec. 24, 2019. (Source: CTV News Winnipeg)

WINNIPEG -

Officers with the Winnipeg Police Service issued 65 traffic tickets and laid nine impaired driving criminal charges in the first week of this year’s Festive Season Checkstop Program.

On Thursday, police released the results of the first week of the program, during which the service stopped 758 cars.

Police conducted 99 roadside breath tests, resulting in four warnings and nine fails. Officers note that all nine of the fails were processed by way of Immediate Roadside Prohibitions.

In the first week of the checkstop program, officers laid nine impaired driving criminal charges, which includes four refusals to provide a breath or blood sample.

Officers note that five of the impaired driving incidents involved a driver suspected to be impaired by drugs.

Winnipeg police officers are reminding drivers that they should expect to see them on the roads this holiday season to enforce impaired driving legislation.

Police note that impaired driving is one of the leading causes of death in Canada, though it is preventable.

“It's important to remember that driving while impaired by alcohol, cannabis or any other drug, is a crime,” police said in a news release.