DIXFIELD – Speeders and those who drive with excessive noise down Main Street and other major streets in town could find themselves subject to fines, a loss of license and higher auto insurance costs, police Chief Richard Pickett said.

Special police details have been assigned to the Weld and Main streets areas in response to complaints of excessive noise and high speeds. He said at least four speeding tickets and more than a half-dozen summonses charging excessive noise have been issued since the clamp down.

Fines for excessive noise could be $137 and for speeding, $185 or more. In addition, he said, violators’ insurance premiums would likely rise.

“If they are charged several times, they could jeopardize their operating license,” he said Thursday afternoon.

He said violators aren’t just young people and aren’t just from Dixfield.

“There are both cars and trucks that have altered exhaust systems that emit louder noise,” he said. “There’s still a number out there that we haven’t caught yet.”

The excessive noise is occurring late at night and early in the morning as well as during the day, he said.

“This won’t be tolerated anymore,” Pickett announced.

Although a formal complaint was lodged with selectmen at a meeting last month, which triggered the special police details, Pickett said the Police Department began working on the issue weeks earlier.

He said when complaints started coming in during the summer, he and other officers began talking with drivers who had jacked-up trucks, asking them to work with the department.

“We gave warnings, told them we were getting complaints,” he said.

In September and October, he said more complaints were coming into his office about excessive speed and noise, culminating with a complaint made to selectmen.

Pickett said he has discussed the issue with the Oxford County District Attorney’s Office and got its support.

“We were assured that if these people were warned and did not work with us, they wouldn’t fall through the cracks,” he said. “We’ll continue to summon until the muffler systems are changed to where they should be.”