Port Jervis Police Lt. James Bisland supports the bi-state DWI crackdown effort.

PORT JERVIS – The Port Jervis, NY Police Department and the Eastern Pike Regional Police based across the Delaware River in Matamoras PA, have joined forces as part of the nationwide Border to Border effort from now through Labor Day to crack down on persons driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated.

Regional and local law enforcement officials announced the effort Monday on the Port Jervis waterfront of the Delaware River, which separates New York and Pennsylvania.

The difference in times that bars close in the two states causes a problem, said David Everly, regional Pennsylvania DUI coordinator.

“Certain unique situations here, I believe the establishments in New York are open later than in Pennsylvania,” Everly said. “Pennsylvania has seen a lot of people go into New York after the bars close in Pennsylvania, continue to drink and then drive back to Pennsylvania.”

Orange County Stop-DWI Coordinator Craig Cherry, the former Port Jervis police chief, noted the impacts of drunk driving.

 “We know certainly the tragedies that we see out there every day and the goal here is to reduce those deaths and injuries from DWI,” Cherry said.

Police officials said they would conduct both sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols during the nationwide crackdown, but they emphasized that their efforts to stop drunk driving are ongoing.