Joint Operation .08 long August weekend results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, August 3, 2021           3:10pm 

(Ottawa) — The long weekend joint police Operation .08 by the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) with the OPP, RCMP, Military Police and MADD Ottawa resulted in 1581 vehicles stopped.

Mandatory Alcohol Screening resulted in 7 drivers having their driving privileges immediately suspended at the roadside for 3 days including a novice and commercial driver registering a presence of alcohol. Six charges were laid under the Highway Traffic Act and the Liquor Licence Act.

On the waterway, 27 boats were stopped by the OPS Marine Dive & Trails Section. A total of 4 charges were laid under the Vessel/shipping Act and one operator had his driver’s licence suspended for providing a breath sample within the warn range.

The joint CVSA operation with MTO resulted in 15 commercial vehicles being stopped and nine of these were inspected. Five commercial vehicles were found to have major defects and were removed from service and one driver’s licence suspended for 3 days due to the presence of alcohol.

Across the National Capital Region (NCR), 19 drivers were charged with an Impaired Driving offences this weekend alone. Of those, 7 involved collisions that resulted in injuries and or caused serious damage to property.

The Ottawa Police wishes to thank its policing and community partners for their continued support and commitment to this important initiative with the shared goal of keeping our roads safe in the NCR.

Drive Sober. If you plan to drink or consume cannabis, plan your ride home first.  You can use a designated driver, taxi, bus or Uber to get home safely.  Call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver. 

- 30 -

CONTACT:

Media Relations Section                  

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366

*********************************************

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, July 30, 2021    9:00am

Police services join together for Operation .08 with RIDE checkpoints

(Ottawa) – Local police services will be out this Civic holiday weekend looking for drivers and boating operators impaired by drugs or alcohol.

The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) along with the OPP, RCMP, Military Police and MADD Ottawa will hold RIDE checkpoints throughout the city to promote one message ‘Drive Sober.’ With the reopening of Ontario, Police have seen an increase in impaired driving on our roadways.

“There is no reason ever for anyone to get a criminal record because they drove impaired,” said Geoff Leckey, President of MADD Ottawa. “It is the easiest crime in the world to prevent – you just decide not to do it. Through their RIDE program, our partners in the Ottawa Police, the RCMP, OPP, Military Police and the Ministry of Transportation are reminding us of that point.”

“Of the 305 deaths on OPP-patrolled roads in 2020, a total of 51 were alcohol/drug-related,” said OPP Acting Staff Sergeant Lisa Nicholas. “The OPP remains committed to ensuring Ontario roads are safe from alcohol-impaired and drug-impaired drivers and wants to remind drivers that no amount of alcohol or drugs in your system is safe when driving.” 

Ottawa Police Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) inspectors, along with Ministry of Transportation (MTO) will also be joining the Operation this July to remind commercial drivers that they must have a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) of 0 as well as zero presence of Cannabis in their body when driving.

“Commercial vehicles are not typically a focus with the traditional evening/early morning RIDE Program,” said Sergeant Troy Froats of the Ottawa Police Impaired Countermeasures Section. “It will be the first time that a RIDE checks will focus specifically on ‘zero presence’ offences for commercial drivers in the city of Ottawa.”

This is a reminder that if you plan to drink or consume cannabis, plan your ride home first.  You can use a designated driver, taxi, bus or Uber to get home safely.

Call 911 to report a suspected impaired driver.

- 30 -

PHOTO Left to right: Sgt Yuri Putnin Military Police; Sgt Troy Froats OPS; Cst Sony Leveille OPS (MDT); Annie Ide MADD; Sgt Julien Doth RCMP; Geoff Leckey MADD; Graeme Cook MTO; A/Staff Sgt Lisa Nicholas OPP.

CONTACT:

Media Relations Section, Ottawa Police                

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366