Temperatures well below -30 degrees Celcius didn't stop the #RCMPSK Combined Traffic Services (CTSS) Unit from conducting snowmobile trail patrols earlier this month as part of a weekend-long traffic enforcement initiative.
From January 7 to 10, several CTSS officers headed out to do a combination of highway and snowmobile patrols in and around the Hudson Bay area.
Over those few days, a total of 33 snowmobilers were stopped. Officers were pleased to report that there were no resulting infractions – all the snowmobilers out in the area were registered and riding safe and sober!
Cst. Milne with CTSS took part in this initiative. He said, "Honestly, given the temperatures, it's 33 more snowmobilers than I anticipated seeing out there. We shifted gears a bit and did some extra highway patrols as well considering how cold it ended up being and how few riders there were. But while we were out on the sleds, folks were riding responsibly, enjoying themselves and doing their part to keep the trails safe – it was really great to see."
In terms of the highway patrols, officers operated in and around Hudson Bay as well as south to the Kelvington, Tisdale, Porcupine Plain and Archerwill areas. A total of 19 Traffic Safety Act/Vehicle Enforcement Regulation charges resulted, as well as 42 warnings and four inspection tickets.
The response from the public – seeing the RCMP out, especially on the snowmobile trails – was really positive. "The sledders were really happy to see us out there. I think they appreciated that we were doing our part to help keep them safe by ensuring everyone was respecting the laws and riding sober. It was nice to connect with them, have a bit of a chat and see them enjoying the outdoors responsibly."