FRYEBURG – Residents at the annual town meeting have overwhelmingly approved a request for two additional police officers to conduct summer patrols in an effort to curb rowdiness along the Saco River.

Police Chief David Miles submitted the request for the seasonal officers as part of a recommendation by the Saco River Task Force.

An estimated 40,000 canoeists a year enter the river at Fryeburg. Each summer, there are reports of a small minority who vandalize campgrounds, get into fights and leave piles of litter behind.

“They tend to drink too much,” said Kevin Muse, a task force member. “They get into the sunshine and all of a sudden the behavior concerns that we saw last year begin to show themselves and it doesn’t make for a happy mix with mom and dad and two small kids.”

An analysis by the task force, property owners and enforcement agencies determined that 56 man-hours would be required to adequately police the river during weekends.

“In the past we have had some problems,” Town Clerk Theresa Shaw said.

“We are hoping the presence of officers will make the river a safer place.”

The task force raised $25,000 through grants and local funds to purchase an airboat for patrols and to respond to emergencies.

During their regular monitoring of the river, police have patrolled launch areas and set up roadblocks nearby to check for the transport of excessive amounts of beer.