Slow start to Counterattack

Photo: Darren Handschuh

Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy

There were 157 places where drivers were stopped across B.C. during a Counterattack blitz Friday, Dec. 4.

The RCMP's collective efforts, with ICBC and Operation Red Nose, resulted in more than 24,000 vehicles being checked and 116 impaired drivers removed from our roads.

"I have no doubt that co-ordinated police efforts such as this save lives and reduce crime and needless tragedy," says Cpl. Ronda McEwen, spokesperson for BC RCMP Traffic Services.

In Vernon, police set up road blocks in various parts of the city, but few impaired drivers were nabbed.

Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy said a couple of drivers were caught over the limit, but overall it was a quiet kickoff to the Christmas Counterattack season.

“We did not have a whole lot of issues. We had a couple of 24-hour suspensions and we did catch a couple impaired drivers,” said Noseworthy.

The Dec. 4 blitz was highlighted throughout the night, as tweets told stories and showed images of vehicles being towed from police checks, across the province.

Not only was alcohol impairment a significant concern for police, but drug-impaired drivers were also removed from the road.