Aberta aims safety sights on highways

A new six-month pilot with the goal to increase safety on Alberta highways recently commenced. The project, which aims to quell the growing concern of traffic safety, involves Provincial Protection Officers (PPOs) from Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security working with RCMP officers to perform traffic safety patrols.”This pilot project is one example of how we’re looking for ways to improve safety on our highways and integrate law enforcement agencies to deliver high quality service to the public,” Harvey Cenaiko, Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security, says.Four teams of two PPOs and one RCMP officer will work together to target unsafe drivers. Two teams will work out of the RCMP’s Strathcona County Detachment, one out of Boyle Detachment and one out of the Fort McMurray Detachment. They will patrol primary highways including highways 21 and 63. “Every year, close to 400 people are killed and 24,000 more are injured on Alberta roads – and driver error continues to be the main reason,” Dr. Lyle Oberg, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation, says. “With increased enforcement as a key element of a comprehensive traffic safety strategy, I believe we can reduce preventable collisions.”In addition to their eight weeks of basic training, these experienced PPOs have received additional instruction in legal studies for special constables, advanced driving techniques and speed enforcement. The project is expected to cost around Cdn$350,000.