RUMFORD — Area law enforcement officers will step up patrols to stop drivers from operating under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Rumford and Mexico police will conduct high-visibility enforcement details between now and Sept. 1 as part of the Drive Sober Maine campaign.

“We will be aggressively enforcing those laws,” Rumford police Chief Stacy Carter said Friday in a news release.

The nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign starts Wednesday, Aug. 13. It is designed to decrease the number of impaired drivers on highways, Carter said.

In addition to extra patrols by Rumford and Mexico police, there will be coordinated roadblocks during the two-week program. Carter said members of both police departments will be assisted by the Maine State Police and the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office.

The efforts are funded by a $10,000 grant from the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety.

“As always, we ask for voluntary compliance to keep the motoring public safe,” Carter said.

“Don’t risk it. If you plan to drive, don’t drink. Choose a sober designated driver before going out. Take a taxicab or ask a friend to drive you home. Spend the night where the activity is being held,” he said.

The Police Department also encourages people to report impaired drivers to law enforcement. Anonymous tips are welcomed also, Carter said.

For more information call the department at 364-4551, or go online to rumfordpd.com.

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