Cumbria: Police make 165 arrests under Operation Limit

Police in Cumbria stopped nearly 1,500 vehicles during a major Christmas operation aimed at tackling drink and drug-driving, a time of year when offences traditionally increase.
Operation Limit saw Cumbria Constabulary deploy additional roads policing resources throughout December, resulting in 1,479 motorists being stopped.
From those checks, officers made 165 arrests for offences linked to drink and drug-driving.
Assistant Chief Constable Dave Stalker said the operation runs year-round but is intensified during busy periods such as Christmas.
“Op Limit is something we do year-round. We’ve got an extensive road network and our duty is to protect law-abiding individuals who are using our roads,” he said.
“Unfortunately, we do encounter individuals who use the roads and put others at risk, whether that be through drink or drugs.”
ACC Stalker added that during the festive period nearly 1,500 vehicles were stopped, leading to 165 arrests related to drink and drug-driving offences.
Police have also highlighted what they describe as a worrying trend, with a disproportionate number of arrests linked to drug-driving rather than alcohol.
“I think a concerning question around that is the percentages between drink-related and drug-related offences,” ACC Stalker said. “We’ve seen more people arrested for drug-related offending than drink.”
Of the 165 arrests made, 50 were for drink-driving and 94 were for drug-driving. The remaining 20 arrests were for related offences, including failing to provide a breath or roadside sample.
ACC Stalker said some motorists may be unaware that drugs can remain in their system long after consumption, leaving them liable to fail roadside tests.
“The positive is that the message around drink-driving appears to be getting through,” he said. “The downside is that people may not recognise that even if they feel capable of driving, drugs are still in their system.
“We have the capability to test for it, it doesn’t leave your system immediately, and we are seeing a worrying trend of people driving while under the influence of drugs.”
Police confirmed that drugs can be detected by roadside testing equipment for up to four days after being taken.
Cumbria Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Dave Allen described the figures as shocking and warned that drivers risk serious consequences.
“There’s no excuse for people to be drink or drug-fuelled when driving,” he said. “You are going to get stopped, and the fact that 50 people were arrested for drink-driving and 94 for drug-driving is quite shocking.
“These people will lose their licences and may lose their livelihoods, and all of that could have been avoided. We gave plenty of warning.”