Maine Police Targeting Holiday Drunken Drivers

Forty-two police agencies in Maine are using federal highway safety funding to increase their holiday season patrols on the lookout for impaired drivers.

The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety says $200,000 in funding will pay for overtime so police can add patrols to look for drivers under the influence of alcohol and drugs through December and January. Bureau Director Lauren Stewart said alcohol was involved in 31 percent of all fatal crashes in Maine in 2009.

Maine State Police received nearly $41,000, which was the biggest chunk of holiday enforcement funding.

Funding is also going to 33 municipal police departments and eight sheriff’s departments.