SARATOGA COUNTY — There will be stepped-up police patrols against drunk and aggressive driving across the county during the last weekend in June, when local schools hold their graduation ceremonies.

Underage drinking and reckless driving are both associated with high school graduation parties and the spring prom season, police said. The proms are generally being held this month, and police will have extra patrols on those nights, too.

“We’ve been stepping up enforcement throughout. We’re trying to make the prom season and graduation season as safe as possible,” said Mechanicville Police Chief Joe Waldron, chairman of the county Traffic Safety Committee.

The committee met Monday in Ballston Spa.

County STOP-DWI Coordinator Robert Murphy said overtime money is available for all police departments to do additional patrols in May and June, and he singled out the graduation weekend as one that police should target.

Money to pay for the additional police patrols comes from the fines paid by people convicted of drunk driving offenses.

A program called “Parents Who Host Lose the Most” is trying to increase awareness that parents shouldn’t allow teen parties in their homes, even if they think it will mean their children are drinking and driving.

“There’s a significant minority of parents out there who still think this is no big deal, they drank when they were young and their kids will too,” said Judy Ekman, executive director of The Prevention Council, a Saratoga Springs-based advocacy group.

Local police are also having teens attempt to buy alcoholic beverages in convenience stores. Sting operations have recently taken place in Waterford, Stillwater and Mechanicville.

A press conference Wednesday in Waterford will acknowledge those stores that followed proper identification procedures and didn’t sell to an underage buyer. Waterford Police Commissioner John Tanchak said it appears only one business failed.

Cindy Dort, vehicle safety program coordinator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, said she recently received 450 youth bicycle safety helmets, to be given away to children who couldn’t otherwise afford a bike helmet.

“There’s no reason for a child to go without this summer,” Dort said. “We will give them away for free, no questions asked.”

State police Sgt. Dan Larkin said state police are planning a speeding crackdown in July, and local police agencies are welcome to participate, too.

The idea is to make the summer driving season safer.

“Fatalities spike,” Larkin said. “People go on vacation, and there’s more traffic.”