DRIVERS IMPAIRED BY DRUGS AND ALCOHOL ARE TARGET OF OKTOBERFEST RIDE
CAMPAIGN

WATERLOO REGION

If you get behind the wheel this weekend, consider yourself
warned.

Waterloo Regional Police will not only have their eyes out for drivers
who've tied one on at the festhallen. For the first time during an
Oktoberfest RIDE campaign, police will also be looking for drivers
impaired by drugs.

"Anyone being stopped at the side of the road or in a RIDE program who
has drug in their system, we are in a position now to remove those
people from the roadways," said Staff Sgt. Scott Diefenbaker of the
traffic branch.

In July, Bill C-2 came into effect, allowing police to demand drivers
who they suspect are impaired to submit to a field sobriety test and
an evaluation by a drug recognition expert. Waterloo Regional Police
have eight drug recognition experts, the second highest per service in
the province.

The specially trained officers conduct a series of 12 tests to
determine the class of drug that is causing the impairment.

The targets are illicit drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine, as well
as misuse of over-the-counter and prescription drugs, Diefenbaker said.

"There's no difference between doing that and drinking and getting
behind the wheel of the car," he said.

"Those people who are doing that as an alternative to drinking and
driving are making the wrong decision."

Since the law came into effect, the service has laid eight charges of
driving while impaired by drugs. Those charges probably wouldn't have
been laid before the legislation, Diefenbaker said.

This year, police have more than 100 officers devoted to the
Oktoberfest Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere program and will be
running checks every night of the festival.

Yesterday marked the kickoff to Oktoberfest RIDE and the national road
safety initiative, Operation Impact. Ontario Provincial Police
Commissioner Julian Fantino, Waterloo Regional Police Chief Matt
Torigian and RCMP district commander Supt. Thomas Bucher were in
Cambridge for the event.

"It's a weekend to think about all of our many blessings, but at the
same time, there's this euphoria and celebration going on," Fantino
said.

"We urge people to act responsibly and if they are drinking, they
ought not to be driving. The consequences of doing otherwise are so
grave."

Torigian said the police service this year is co-ordinating RIDE
efforts with the OPP to ensure all areas of Waterloo Region are
covered efficiently.

"We have to do our part to ensure this is a safe and successful
Oktoberfest," he said.

Last year, Waterloo Regional Police checked nearly 20,000 vehicles
during Oktoberfest RIDE. Thirty-one 12-hour suspensions were issued,
along with six charges for exceeding the legal blood alcohol limit and
three impaired driving charges.

Police will conduct both stationary checks and mobile patrols
throughout the 10-day festival this year. But they can't be everywhere
at once and need the public's help to keep drunk drivers off the
roads, Torigian said. "If people are out on the roads and observe what
they believe to be an impaired driver, please call."