Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 21/01) - Drivers, take note -- five people took part in a two-day radar course at the fire hall last week.

Larry Weber, centre, taught a radar course in Inuvik last week. Two of his students were fire chief Al German, left, and bylaw officer Randy Shermack, right. - Malcolm Gorrill/NNSL photo

The course covered conventional radar, as well as laser radar. Those taking part included John Christenson, bylaw officer from Fort McPherson.

The others are from Inuvik -- Dwayne Debastien, Julie Miller, bylaw officer Randy Shermack and fire chief Al German.

"All the communities were invited," German said.

German pointed out that he and Shermack were already trained on how to use radar and could issue speeding tickets, and that this certificate is more of a formality.

"You can still issue them (tickets) if you've been properly trained, they won't argue, but the certificate eliminates all doubts that you've been properly trained," German said.

The first one-and-a-half days consisted of classroom study and exams, followed by a session of hands- on training on the street.

"During the course of the training we picked up many speeders, I could have issued them tickets," German said with a laugh.

He pointed out the town isn't planning to issue more speeding tickets than before, though they will be watching the school zones closely.

"There might be an occasional blitz here and there. Other than that, no, we're not out to get anybody. There's no quotos or anything like that," German said.

"Community safety is our biggest concern."

Larry Weber of Consulting Alernatives in St. Albert, Alta., who taught the course, agreed.

"Statistics tell us speed kills," Weber said.

Weber was an RCMP officer for 27 years and also was bylaw officer in Yellowknife for seven years.

Weber pointed out the conventional radar training covers both mobile patrol and stationary operations.

Some years ago Weber developed a five-day bylaw enforcement course, which serves as a preliminary to the community constable course put on by the RCMP in Regina, Saskatchewan.

The course was sponsored by MACA through Aurora College and ran in several communities.