Eight people were charged with impaired driving during the first weekend of the Lethbridge Police Services Christmas Checkstop Campaign–the same amount as the number of people charged over the entire month-long campaign last year.
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“It’s always a concern when you have any numbers of impaired drivers,” LPS Acting Sgt. Marco Pagliericci said. “We’re in 2016. I think the message is out there… Everybody knows if you’re going to drink, you should make alternate arrangements to get home.”
Police seized vehicles on scene, forcing some passengers to walk home.
“We are busy, Lethbridge is a vibrant little city, there’s a lot of bars (and) a lot of pubs. We have a big college…University students, (they) do go out and drink.”
So far this year, there have been 254 people charged with impaired driving in the city, including seven charges in one single night in October. Last year, there were 199 people charged with impaired driving.
READ MORE: 7 drunk driving incidents in 2-hour span spurs warning from Lethbridge police
As the campaign continues, you can expect police to be doing checkstops throughout the city until early in the new year. Officers are hoping to encourage people who are drinking to take advantage of driving services like Operation Red Nose or taxis.