“Take back the night” operations aimed at safety in Iqaluit

After a recent “Take back the night” operation, police say they’ll continue regular crack-downs on alcohol-related offenses in Iqaluit.

Members of the Iqaluit RCMP, with assistance from Nunavut’s liquor inspectors and local by-law enforcement officers, stepped up patrols Dec. 16 in Iqaluit in hopes of reducing offenses such as impaired driving, the over-serving of alcohol and public disturbances.

They conducted foot patrols through bars and restaurants, and stopped “a number of vehicles” over the course of the night, says a Dec. 20 RCMP news release.

Most people had chosen “a safe way home and to not over-indulge,” police said.

But police are reminding people in Iqaluit who plan to party to stay safe by designating a sober driver or deciding to take a taxi home.

More “Take back the night” operations will take place randomly throughout 2012, the news release said.