LISBON — Lisbon Police Department along with numerous other police agencies, not only in Maine but across the nation, are participating in the Bureau of Highway Safety 2009 Impaired Driving National Crackdown, which began Aug. 21.

From now through Sept. 7, the Lisbon Police Department will be conducting a number of saturation patrols targeting impaired drivers and will also be conducting a sobriety checkpoint. The sobriety checkpoint will be a combined effort of Lisbon and Lewiston police officers.

During a recent OUI detail this month, Lisbon officers made five arrests. Along with arrests, citations were issued for other violations including operating after suspension, operating without a license, violation of bail conditions, registration violations and so forth.

Chief David Brooks says that impaired driving is a serious public safety concern and his department is committed to keeping the streets and roadways safe for all that use them.

Statistically, Brooks said, drunk driving is one America’s deadliest crimes. In 2007 nearly 13,000 people died in highway crashes involving a driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol level of .08 percent or higher. For motorcycle riders, the picture is particularly bleak. In fatal crashes in 2007, a higher percentage of motorcycle riders, 27 percent, had a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher than any other type of motor vehicle operator. Driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 is illegal in every state, yet we continue to see a tragic number of people with debilitating injuries and deaths as a result of impaired driving, Brooks said.

The Lisbon Police Department received a $4,953 Maine Bureau of Highway Safety grant to assist the department with this effort.