Sprague RCMP Detachment

Sprague RCMP undertook an ATV awareness initiative over the summer.

The initiative was conducted by RCMP taking an ATV onto trails in the southeast to spread education and awareness about offroading to riders.  Corporal Terry Sundell says they were looking for riders without helmets or certified helmets, ATV's with too many riders, riders not following designated trails and impaired drivers.  However, he notes the focus was on awareness and not ticketing.

"It can't always be focused just on enforcement," Sundell explains.  "That's why we reached out to the community, the ATV associations and the local government to make sure we got the work out on what exactly the laws were and what we were going to be focusing on before we did this enforcement initiative."

In their time on the trails they did encounter one impaired rider who was issued a 24 hour driving suspension during September long weekend.  Sundell adds most of the feedback they received from riders they encountered was positive, and the ATV clubs in the area were also glad to have RCMP on the trails.

"That runs right in line with our ATV awareness that we hold every spring," says Southeast ATV Association President Gary Gebhardt.  "Which is teaching people awareness about safety, fire prevention, rules of the road and rules of the trail.  So we were very happy they were out here."

Gary Hora, President of the Woodridge Sandhogs notes the initiative has definitely had an impact on trails in the southeast.

"I think it's brought a lot more awareness to some of the rules that people simply weren't aware of," Hora describes.  "Maybe the riders hadn't followed up with it, but now that they see RCMP out there more often they are taking time to educate themselves and ask questions within the ATV community.  So I think it's definitely done its job."

He adds they do hear complaints about some riders every summer, and RCMP have helped with that.