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Portland Police Reports Surge In OUI Arrests

The Portland Police Department is reporting what it calls a "concerning rise" in the number of OUI cases in the city this year.

Since Jan. 1, the department has recorded 84 arrests of drivers operating under the influence, including 19 crashes. The department says the total case count also includes 13 cases involving drugs other than alcohol, ranging from methamphetamines, opioids, Xanax and marijuana to cough medicine.

By comparison, the department recorded 41 OUI arrests during the same period last year, and 49 the year before that.

The department says in a release that it has recently stepped up training to help officers detect cases of impaired driving.