The officer was arrested on Friday morning under suspicion of impaired driving
Impaired driving in Canada carries heavy penalties, including substantial fines and potential jail time
THUNDER BAY – An off-duty officer with the Thunder Bay Police Service is facing charges after being arrested for suspected impaired driving on Friday, June 9. The incident occurred around Balmoral Street and the Harbour Expressway.
The Primary Response Branch of the Thunder Bay Police Service responded to reports of a suspected impaired driver in the morning hours. Upon arrival at the scene, officers located the motorist and observed signs of impairment.
The male driver, whose name is being withheld at this time as the charges have not been formally sworn before the courts, was subsequently arrested and charged with Impaired Operation of a Conveyance and Operation Over 80mg.
Impaired driving in Canada is defined as “having care or the control of a motor vehicle while the person’s ability to operate the motor vehicle is impaired by alcohol or a drug”. In Canada, the prohibited blood alcohol concentration is “80 milligrams (mg) or more of alcohol per 100 millilitres (ml) of blood.”
Penalties can be applied up to two hours after the act of driving.
If convicted of a first offence of alcohol-impaired driving at or over .08 within two hours of driving, the mandatory minimum penalty is a $1,000 fine. The fines increase according to blood alcohol concentration. A second conviction carries a mandatory minimum 30 days in prison. A third conviction results in a mandatory minimum penalty of 120 days in prison.
The maximum penalty for these charges is 10 years in prison. The implementation of the most severe penalties is rare.
The officer involved has been placed on administrative duties. The Thunder Bay Police Service has stated that it cannot comment further on the matter as it is to appear before the courts.
