(LITTLE CURRENT, ON) – Manitoulin Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) completed another summer traffic campaign for the Civic Day Long Weekend. With the increase in traffic on the long weekend, coupled with the increased traffic for the annual Manitoulin Haweater Festival, officers not only targeted enforcement on Ontario’s “move over” law, they monitored the safety and enjoyment of the Festival goers on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.
The “move over” law helps to reduce the incidents of injuries and deaths to police officers, fire fighters, EMS personnel, tow truck drivers and the public. Members of the North East Region OPP, laid 180 charges in 2018, and so far in 2019 laid 53 charges in relation to the “move over” law.
The Haweater Festival draws crowds of upwards to five to ten thousand people with all the great events that weekend has to offer. Over the three day weekend Manitoulin OPP responded to 181 calls for service with 60 in the Little Current area where the Haweater Festival was located.
Of the 181Criminal Code and Provincial offences incidents investigated over the weekend; there was 4 impaired drivers (1 by drug), several domestic related incidents, theft of motor vehicle with the suspect being apprehended and 17 Liquor License Act incidents that stood out.
Manitoulin OPP also investigated a boating death where not wearing a life jacket contributed to the cause.
The OPP remind the public to take their time in holiday traffic, drive sober and understand that safety is everyone’s responsibility. Let’s make sure that the summer of 2019 is a safe and happy one for everyone!
