Tim Anderson introduced our guest speaker, Vince Caleffi. Vince is a former senior police official who assumed the Chief Sheriff's responsibilities upon the establishment of the Sheriffs and Security Operations Branch in 2010.

The Sheriffs Office was established to assist the RCMP in highway patrol, among a lot other things.

The sheriffs also provide protection services to government officials and dignitaries, court security services and prisoner transport services, as well as radio communications and dispatch for all sheriffs in the province, and a central hub of policing information. There is an investigative services section as well.

As far as their traffic role is concerned, they are an adjunct to the RCMP, and they are not intended to be an eventual replacement for the Mounties.

Vince gave us some background on the sheriffs and some commentary of the recent legislation on permissible blood alcohol levels.

To my surprise, he indicated that a blood alcohol level of 0.08% involved a significant level of impairment, and that he thought, based on his significant experience, that the reduction to 0.05% was appropriate and would save many lives.

There was a spirited Q&A session after Vince's talk.

PDG Steve Rickard thanked him and presented him with his Boltman. Vince seemed pleased with his Boltman and provided us with sheriff's badges and sheriff lapel pins.

reported by Larry Doyle