By CHIEF ROB DUTTCHEN, Corman Park Police Service
Corman Park Police Service (CPPS) members were busy on the highways and byways in and around the RM last week. Sadly, just as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada launched its annual Project Red Ribbon campaign, our officers removed seven impaired drivers from the road in seven days: four impaired by alcohol and three by drugs.
In the early morning of October 26, an officer stopped a vehicle travelling 107 km/h in the 80 km/h zone on Highway 16 near Dalmeny Road. The driver showed signs of impairment by a stimulant, and an oral fluid test was positive for cocaine. The driver received a three-day licence suspension, a three-day vehicle impound, and tickets for speeding, having open alcohol in the vehicle and possessing unstamped tobacco.
On the evening of October 27, CPPS stopped a vehicle that had just left a licensed establishment in Martensville. The driver showed signs of recent alcohol consumption and registered an “ALERT” on an approved screening device. He received a three-day suspension, and his vehicle was impounded for three days.
CPPS was back in Martensville the next evening, October 28, when a member noticed a vehicle on 1st Avenue North being driven in a way that suggested impairment. The driver showed signs of recent alcohol consumption and failed a roadside screening test. He was arrested for impaired operation of a motor vehicle and taken to the Martensville RCMP Detachment. There, he provided breath samples of 130 and 120 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, well above the legal limit of 80. His vehicle was impounded for 30 days, and he was served a notice to appear in court. CPPS then drove him home and released him into the care of a sober adult.
At about 1 a.m. on October 30, an officer on Highway 219 saw a driver throw a burning item out of the vehicle window. During the traffic stop, the officer noted signs of recent alcohol consumption. A records check showed the driver was already suspended from driving, and a roadside test produced an “ALERT.” He received a further 21-day suspension, a seven-day vehicle impound, and tickets for throwing burning material from a vehicle and for driving while suspended.
Just before noon that day, a partner agency asked CPPS to help with an evidence search using our Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), commonly called a drone. Although nothing was located, the drone let officers search a large area quickly. It uses both a high-resolution camera and a thermal camera that detects heat, so the search was thorough and needed far fewer people than a search on foot.
That evening, just before 8 p.m., a CPPS member travelling through Saskatoon stopped a vehicle with no working taillights. The officer suspected the driver had been drinking, and a roadside test produced an “ALERT.” The driver received a three-day licence suspension and a three-day vehicle impound. He and his wife were given a ride home.
Any hope that November would bring a fresh start was short-lived. At about 10 a.m. on November 1, police stopped a pickup near Clarence Avenue in Division 2. The driver showed signs of cannabis impairment, which an oral fluid test confirmed. As this was the driver’s second offence, they received a 21-day licence suspension and a seven-day vehicle impound.
At about 3:30 p.m. that day, an officer stopped a vehicle on Highway 16 near the Borden Bridge for travelling more than 50 km/h over the speed limit. The driver showed signs of stimulant impairment, and an oral fluid test was positive for cocaine. This was the fourth time she had been caught driving under the influence of drugs. She received a 90-day licence suspension, a 14-day vehicle impound and a ticket for excessive speed.
Throughout Project Red Ribbon, CPPS will run additional patrols in both marked and unmarked vehicles to find and prevent impaired driving across the RM. As the holiday season approaches, please plan a sober ride, tie on a red ribbon, and call 911 if you see a driver you believe is impaired. Let’s work together to finish 2026 safely.