Battlefords RCMP part of national drug-test strategy
Battlefords area drivers may soon be asked by RCMP to provide a voluntary saliva sample, as part of a new federal pilot project exploring roadside screening tests for drug-impaired drivers.
According to a news release, local RCMP members will be trained to use two “oral fluid screening devices,” which test saliva for drugs including cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, and opioids.
The members will use the devices in operational settings with drivers and passengers who offer to anonymously provide a sample. None of the results will be used against volunteers as evidence in any criminal or administrative proceedings
The Battlefords RCMP are one of only a few police forces across the county chosen for the pilot project. The others are the Toronto Police Service, Vancouver Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Service de police de la ville de Gatineau, Halifax Regional Police Service, and Yellowknife RCMP.