Regina Police Services adds new Mobile Testing Unit to toolbox

The Regina Police Service (RPS) announced its new Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) — a van that can test for impaired driving at any location — just in time for the holidays.

Corporal Ross Kauk said there were a handful of reasons why the RPS wanted the van.

“With this unit going out on the street, we have now streamlined it so that we can have two officers deal with the impaired driving investigation, and we’ve cut it down to about an hour and a half instead of the four hours,” he explained.

Corporal Ross Kauk was part of the team who operated the van on its first weekend in Regina. He said it was able to catch an impaired driver with drugs. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

According to Kauk, A typical impaired driving investigation can take approximately four hours and takes four officers off the street. He said the van is far more efficient.

“We can find the impaired driver, we can bring them in and have a seat on the bench,” Kauk explained.

“We don’t have to transport them away from their vehicle, and we do all of the testing right on site.”

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He said testing on-site also provides the driver with an opportunity to call a family member, friend or ride-share service for a ride home — in the case they are too impaired to drive but still able to care for themselves.

“So not only are we saving time and stress on the accused that we’re dealing with, but we’re also saving time and liability not having a person lodged in cells for the night,” Kauk said.

The machine can test for alcohol and drug impairment — which can be more difficult to test for — but with the van, Kauk said this is a key component.

“We know every year we miss a lot of impaired drivers by drug,” he said. “Last year, I think we had about 1,000 breath tests done for impaired driving by alcohol, but we only have about 50 tests done for impaired driving by drug. We know the numbers are way higher for what’s actually happening out there.”

Inspector Shawn Fenwick says the MTU contains a breathalyzer and oral fluid testing devices such as Drager and Sotoxa. (Lisa Shick/980 CJME)

SGI contributed $25,000 towards the purchase of the van.

Kwei Quaye, Vice President of Traffic Safety Services with SGI, said it has a longstanding partnership with RPS.

“Without enforcement, our goal to make the road safe and community safe in Saskatchewan will be very, very difficult,” he said. “That’s why we have to enter into that space because we need enforcement.”

He acknowledges that the holidays often see a rise in impaired driving.

He said deaths caused by impaired driving have gone down over the years, but SGI won’t stop until that number reaches zero.

According to Quaye, in 2008 the province saw around 68 impaired driving-related deaths, in 2023 that number was down to 29 deaths and around 1,500 injuries.

“Our goal is to have zero,” he said.

“38 per cent of the people who die our roads because of impaired driving, and it’s just too high. We dream of a day when we’ll see down to five per cent and the work that we’re doing is something that to move us in that direction.”

Equipment in the MTU is often heavy and clunky, limiting officers from brining it with them in their cruisers. The van allows officers to bring all essential equipment with them. (Lisa Schick/980 CJME)

Inspector Shawn Fenwick said the MTU van will provide RPS with an opportunity to keep roads safe, especially ahead of the holidays.

“It is the Christmas season, so that was kind of timely for us, and we anticipate having it on the roads quite a bit here and in the next few weeks over what typically is a time of year where impaired drivers are out there more than normal,” he said.

Fenwick hopes the van will help educate more people on the impact of drugs when you get behind the wheel.

“They may not use alcohol, but they think that drugs can’t be detected,” he said. “So we want to change that mindset and make people change their behaviour… If you are under the influence of any type of drug, you shouldn’t be getting behind the wheel.”

He said the van would cut down on waiting time for the officers and drivers. It also allows officers to do more impaired driving checks.

The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) also have a Mobile Testing Unit van in operation.

The Regina Police Service introduced its new Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) to the media on Dec. 19, 2024. Its first weekend in the city was Dec. 14-15. (Lisa Shick/980 CJME)

— with files from 980 CJME’s Lisa Schick