Four RCMP officers in Williams Lake who helped remove impaired drivers from the road in 2014 have been recognized for their efforts.
Williams Lake Constables Derek Henderson, Christopher Ives, Colin Champagne and Daniel Cohen jointly removed 85 impaired drivers last year from the area and have been named to Alexa’s Team for their efforts.
Alexa’s Team was created after four-year-old Alexa Middelaer was killed by an alcohol-impaired driver seven years ago.
Each year officers who process a minimum of 12 impaired drivers can qualify to be named to the team.
Across the province 296 members were recognized as team members for processing a total of 10,481 police Reports to Crown Counsel (RTCC) on impaired driving incidents for drivers who failed road side impairment tests.
Since Alexa’s death, the police, her family and supporters have worked tirelessly to make B.C.’s roads safer for everyone, the RCMP said.
As part of that effort, last October the province rolled out Alexa’s Bus, a mobile road safety unit, which can be used to teach the public about impairment, said Lennea Durant, RCMP media relations.
“Impairment is not just alcohol, but can include drugs, elicit and prescription drugs. Fatigue is an impairment, so there is information about that as well,” Durant said.
“They also talk about what happens if you are pulled over for impairment and the longterm effects of what it does for your driving career.”
Aside from being an education tool, the bus is also used by police to process impaired drivers on site and has computers connected to the headquarters in the Lower Mainland.
“Instead of having to leave the road and take the impaired person back to the detachment office, which usually removes one police officer from the community who could be called to general crime issues, all of the work can be done within an hour on site,” Durant said.
During Stampede weekend, the bus will be in Williams Lake, Durant said.