Kevin Laliberte
Editor, Smoky River Express

The introduction of a speed sentry in the region to effectively monitor the speed of motorists is something the McLennan RCMP detachment is backing 100 per cent. “The McLennan RCMP detachment is fully supportive of this initiative and looks forward to partnering with various agencies and individuals to ensure the program’s success,” says Sgt. Ged Dentinger. He adds the arrival of the $6,769 speed sentry in the region – a device which utilizes radar technology to accurately detect and record a motorist’s rate of speed – is a win-win situation for the entire region. “The speed sentry provides a unique opportunity for various organizations and community members to work together to educate motorists and the general public about the impact of excessive speed on our streets and highways,” he explains. One of the most significant benefits of the speed sentry is its ability to complement the services of RCMP in a rural policing area where the number of officers on the street per square mile of territory is relatively low. Sgt. Dentinger says the speed sentry will enable police to extend their reach by having community partners man the unit without the need to have an RCMP member present. “Having non-RCMP personnel obtaining this information increases the efficiency of the local detachment as the members are not conducting radar enforcement in areas where there is no speeding issue. They can then target their efforts to known areas which are problematic in nature,” says Sgt. Dentinger. The bottom line is that the speed sentry will allow the RCMP to dedicate resources to problem areas supported by factual data. Sgt. Dentinger adds that, as with many RCMP involved programs, education is commonly deemed to be much effective than enforcement. “This unit provides an element of education that is non-disruptive to the motoring public and visually based. You can educate hundreds of speeding motorist passing by the speed sentry by displaying their speed but enforcement could only be done on a small portion of those offending drivers as it would be impossible to conduct a traffic stop on all of them,” he points out. The issue of speeding in the region is something which the McLennan RCMP detachment is all too familiar with. Sgt. Dentinger says the average highway speed among motorists in the region is about 120 km/hr, or 20 km/hr above the posted speed limit of 100 km/hr. Even more alarming is the fact that some motorists have been caught on radar at speeds of between 140 km/hr and 170 km/hr. Offering support to speeding dilemma in the Peace Country is a dated ACICR (Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research) study from 2003, which listed the Peace Country Health region as having the highest incidence of motor vehicle related emergency room visits, coming in at more than double the rural rate and more than triple the provincial average. For motor vehicle related hospital admissions, the region is more than double the provincial average at 223.56 admissions per 100,000 population while leading the way for motor vehicle-related deaths at 27.64 deaths per 100,000. It’s sufficient evidence to help everyone recognize the fact that speed kills, regardless of what part of the province you call home! The ultimate hope is that the new speed sentry will help to hammer that message home before another life is lost.

Copyright © 2002 Smoky River Express. All Rights Reserved.
No part may be reproduced without written permission.

View our Privacy Statement.
Send website suggestions to the Webmaster