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RCMP urge responsible New Years celebration

Police will have an increased presence in Cranbrook, urge the use designated drivers and taxis if people plan on drinking.

There will be an increased police presence on New Years Eve, but the local detachment isn't expecting much in the way of bad behaviour, based on years past.

S/Sgt Dave Dubnyk, detachment commander for the RCMP in Cranbrook, noted that police will be out to respond to any incidents, but added that people have become more responsible when celebrating the arrival of the New Year.

"Ultimately, just like anybody, we want to see people go out and have lots of fun and bring in the new year on a good note," said Dubnyk. "we don't want to do anything to stifle those celebrations, but at the same time, we want to be certain that people are out and celebrating responsibly and they have a part in it too—a little bit of pre-planning and responsible fun can go a long way to making it a good night for everybody."

RCMP members will be on the lookout for the party hotspots and will probably have some road checks here and there, Dubnyk said. Traditionally, the weather tends to have an affect on the amount of service calls; if it's cold out, people tend to stay inside, while on milder nights, people tend to hop from party to party, he added.

Dubnyk emphasized that people use a designated driver or a taxi service if they plan to be drinking alcohol.

"Police enforcement will be stepped up and if you are out and about, prior to going out, be 100 per cent certain that you've either secured a designated driver who will not be consuming any alcoholic beverage or just plan on using a taxi service," Dubnyk said.

"Waiting that little extra time for a taxi is far better than the potential consequences of driving while under the influence and not just being picked up by the police, obviously there are far more tragic consequences that can result from impaired driving with injury and death."

 



Trevor Crawley

About the Author: Trevor Crawley

Trevor Crawley has been a reporter with the Cranbrook Townsman and Black Press in various roles since 2011.
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