MHPS reminds public to plan ahead on New Year’s

By KENDALL KING, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on December 30, 2021.

kking@medicinehatnews.com

Medicine Hat police are reminding the public to celebrate responsibly this New Year’s and to dress for cold temperatures, if going out.

“We will be out and about,” Staff Sgt. Ryan Thorburn told the News. “We will definitely be checking on impaired driving throughout the weekend … We put extra officers (who will) use their vehicles to rove throughout the community, looking for impaired driving behaviours.”

Officers will also be ensuring all restaurants and bars adhere to new COVID-19 protocols.

“We’re going to be looking after any licensed establishments (as the provincial government) has set some new rules in place where they are to have last call at 11 p.m. and they can only have patrons inside until 12:30 a.m.”

Officers will also be ensuring the establishments comply with reduced capacity limits.

For Hatters planning to attend New Year’s celebrations, Thorburn advises they dress for cold weather.

“The biggest warning I can give is, given it’s going to be -28 degrees at some point through the evening – and I just want to make sure if people are out and about, just dress warm,” Thorburn said.

“Make sure you’re dressed warmly, have your cell phone with you and know you’re going to have to wait for taxi cabs because every year we’ve gone through events like this, taxis get busy – especially when it’s this cold – and the wait times can be extensive, upwards of two hours. So, maybe even have another plan; have a family member pick you up if you have been drinking,” he said. “(MHPS) just wants to make sure everybody gets home safe.”

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