Waterloo police to start testing for alcohol at every traffic stop

NEWS RELEASE
WATERLOO REGIONAL POLICE
*************************
The Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) is announcing the launch of a Mandatory Alcohol Screening (MAS) Pilot Project aimed at combating impaired driving to improve road and community safety across Waterloo Region.

Impaired driving remains a pervasive problem on local roads. In 2023, 939 impaired driving-related charges were laid and impaired driving was a factor in two traffic collision fatalities.

As part of the pilot, officers from WRPS’ Traffic Services Unit (TSU), will now conduct mandatory alcohol screening as a part of every traffic stop. MAS authorizes law enforcement officers to demand that a driver provide a roadside breath sample on an approved screening device, whether or not they suspect the driver has recently consumed alcohol.

Drivers who are stopped by TSU officers will be read a legal demand for a sample of their breath into a roadside screening device that the officer will present. A sample of their breath will be analyzed by the device within a few seconds.

Drivers who do not comply with a breath demand could be charged for failure or refusal to comply under the Criminal Code.

 “Waterloo Regional Police are committed to reducing impaired driving through enforcement and education,” said Scott Griffiths of the WRPS Traffic Services Unit. “Mandatory alcohol screening is an additional proactive step that we can take to deter and better detect alcohol-impaired drivers and improve safety for all road users in Waterloo Region.”

While this project is being piloted by WRPS’ Traffic Services Unit, all officers can conduct mandatory alcohol screening during traffic stops, as has been in place since 2018.

The pilot program is anticipated to run from July 1, 2024, until December 2024.

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