The Casper Police Department will step up enforcement of the prohibition of parking vehicles on sidewalks starting next week, according to a news release.

The police department has received an increased amount of calls in regard to parked vehicles blocking sidewalks. As the weather begins to warm and more people are outside, a department spokeswoman said it is important to keep the walkways clear.

“Blocked sidewalks are a safety issue because it forces people to walk into the street,” the department's community service officer Jacci Warne said.

"This means children, strollers, wheelchairs, visually impaired and disabled individuals are forced to navigate around a vehicle into traffic," Warne said. "This puts them at risk to cars driving by. We want to protect them from having to do that.”

Starting Monday, community service officers will be patrolling the city to address and enforce the sidewalk parking problem.

They also will be enforcing other parking violations such as parking in front of fire hydrants and in front of yellow curbs.

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