Officers with the Laval Police Department issued more than 3,000 tickets since the beginning of the school year last September for driving offenses committed while proceeding through school zones.
It is estimated that in Quebec, around 550,000 students rely on yellow school bus service to get to school. In recent weeks, the LPD has been out in certain strategic locations near schools, carefully watching for drivers not paying attention and proceeding past school buses when the yellow flashers are activated.
At the same time, they’ve also been using laser and radar technology to monitor the speed of vehicles passing through school zones and issuing tickets when drivers are above the posted speed limit.
For those drivers who get flagged down, the fines can be steep. In one instance, a young female driver who was late for work was caught speeding and was served a $267 ticket, as well as seven demerit points that could drive up the cost of her SAAQ fees when they come due for renewal.
Since last September, the LPD has carried out more than 700 surveillance operations near schools in the City of Laval. Since school zones are clearly designated along streets with special signage, the advice to drivers from the force is that they should heed the warnings immediately and slow down.
During one recent operation, LPD officers stopped and ticketed six drivers in less than 90 minutes. Most of the infractions were for speeding, although one was for going through a red light.
The penalties for driving offenses committed in school zones are especially costly, ranging from $200-$300 and a loss of up to nine demerit points.
Laval man faces human trafficking charges in Ontario
After recently arresting a man from Laval on human trafficking charges, police in Durham, Ont. put out the word that they are seeking out any additional victims while pursuing their investigation.
As part of the investigation, officers from the Durham Regional Police Service’s Human Trafficking Unit made an intervention at an unnamed Whitby hotel. There, Bruno Diebe-Marquez, age 23 and identified as being from Laval, was arrested and informed he faced several charges.
The charges included material benefit from sexual services, procuring a person to provide sexual services for consideration, uttering a forged document, obtaining sexual services for consideration, and possession, transfer and sale of an identity document belonging to another person.
In addition to all that, Bruno Diebe-Marquez also faces drug possession charges. The investigators released a photo of Diebe-Marquez in the hopes that other potential victims will come forward. Anyone with information is asked to call the Durham Police Human Trafficking Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5600.
