**TIMMINS POLICE SERVICE NEWS RELEASE**

With increased opportunities for area snowmobile enthusiasts to take to the trail systems throughout and around the city of Timmins, the Timmins Police Service continues its diligent efforts in terms of monitoring area trail systems to enhance safety and awareness.

On Saturday (Jan 18) Timmins Police Constable Gauthier and Constable Bujold performed a snowmobile traffic enforcement initiative with the use on TPS patrol snowmobiles.

Throughout their intensive patrols of area trail systems, 63 motorized snow vehicle operators were stopped for sobriety verifications, documentation checks and ensuring that each had a valid trail permit.
As a result this enforcement presence campaign, five verbal warnings were issued for failing to produce valid insurance card, two similar warnings for speed violations while three operators were issued Provincial Offence Notices for trail pass infractions.

One operator was charged with:
– Drive While License Suspended
– No insurance
– Drive with Permit Not Issued
– Fail to Display Registration Number.

In the overall, the public response was positive in terms of a firm police presence by Timmins Police Service officers enhancing trail safety levels in the Timmins area.

These officers will continue to do all they can to send the appropriate message to the snowmobiler population in Timmins.

The responsible snowmobiler must do his or her part by planning ahead and abstaining from the consumption of any substances that will corrupt a person’s ability to operate a snowmobile safely.

If a person chooses to indulge in consuming alcohol or other intoxicants, the decision to take to the trails afterwards has proven to be a lethal one in certain circumstances.

The Timmins Police Service is actively engaged in contributing manpower and resources towards the shared goal of a safe and enjoyable snowmobile season, free of preventable legal entanglements linked to impaired operation of a snowmobile and other preventable infractions.

Filed under: Local News