Yellowknife police test technology to identify high drivers
The swab is 'completely voluntary' - People won't be arrested if they fail the test, at least for now
Yellowknife RCMP officers are testing out new technology to identify high drivers.
Officers will be equipped with hi-tech mouth swabs and will administer roadside tests to see how well the swabs work in real life situations.
The detachment is one of seven forces across the country testing the swabs, as the federal government prepares to legalize marijuana.
"We have the dark, we have the cold, the environment itself. What we're doing is seeing how practical we can implement these devices and use them in real world situations," says Cpl. Todd Scaplin.
If a driver decides to participate, they'll be asked to provide a saliva sample, which will be analyzed to see whether drugs are in their system.
"Everything is confidential, there's no names taken, nothing like that. It's completely voluntary. If they don't want to do it, [it's] 'have a nice day. Thank you very much,'" says Scaplin.
People who fail the test won't be charged. However, if they appear impaired anyway, officers will still investigate.
"Nothing's changed. It's just that we're gonna hopefully eventually have really good tools for us to use," says Scaplin.
with files from Alex Brockman