Officers with the Manitoba First Nations Police Service caught two impaired drivers in Opaskwayak Cree Nation during the early morning hours of March 27, 2026. The incidents occurred within 90 minutes of each other, prompting reminders about road safety in the community near The Pas.
The first stop happened around 3:30 a.m. after police received a report of a suspected impaired driver. An officer used an approved screening device to confirm that an adult female driver from Cross Lake was over the legal alcohol limit. About 90 minutes later, officers were alerted to a second driver, an adult female from Opaskwayak Cree Nation, who also tested over the legal limit.
Both individuals held learner’s licences at the time of the traffic stops. Under provincial rules overseen by Manitoba Public Insurance, those with learner’s licences must maintain a zero blood alcohol concentration. As a result of the incidents, both drivers received a 90-day immediate roadside suspension, had their vehicles impounded for 30 days, and were issued tickets under the provincial offences act.
These traffic enforcement efforts follow the March 17, 2026, launch of a new crime reduction and enforcement unit by the police service. This specialized team is currently working across the 12 First Nation communities served by the department, including Opaskwayak Cree Nation, which has utilized the service for primary policing since 2021.
