By paNOW Staff

Cops hand out cab coupons to discourage drunk drivers

Dec 19, 2017 | 11:00 AM

Prince Albert’s police want to make sure everyone gets home safely this holiday season.

The city police have teamed up with Prince Albert’s Public Safety Compliance Team to patrol licensed establishments over the holidays and make sure all the rules are followed. At the same time, members will hand out taxi coupons, which can be redeemed through Checker & Family Taxi or Grey Cab for a $10 discount.

Sgt. Troy Dumont, who also serves as executive director of Prince Albert Community Mobilization, said the police want to help everyone get home safely during the holidays. While there will naturally be check stops and increased enforcement on the roads, Dumont said prevention is just as important.

“We just wanted to help people make that easy decision to plan that safe ride home,” he said. “We like to go out and promote safe alcohol consumption.”

As a police officer, Dumont said it feels good to be proactively preventing impaired driving before it happens. Dumont said he knows the coupons are effective because of the results he saw last year after handing them out at a local bar.

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“When I drove to work at 6:30 the next morning, there were 14 vehicles left in that parking lot,” he said. “It was great to see.”

Police often encounter the tragic results of impaired driving, Dumont said, which can be one of the most difficult aspects of the job. Responding to a collision caused by impaired driving has been a life-changing experience for many officers, he said, which makes them recognize the importance of prevention.

“We just want to be more proactive, so maybe officers and families don’t have to deal with those situations,” he said.

The Public Safety Compliance Team is responsible for education and enforcement of liquor legislation, and is made up of members from the City of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming, and the city’s police, bylaw and fire departments. The coupons were provided by a partnership between the Community Alcohol Strategy Steering Committee and Community Mobilization Prince Albert.

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