Morgantown Dominion Post
9 August 2006
By Brandy Brubaker
Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion Post - Joel Smith and Sgt. Steve Ford take the department's new marine patrol boat out for a test on the Monongahela River.
The Morgantown Police Department has taken to the water.
Courtesy of money from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the department purchased a 2005 Triton Enforcer patrol boat in April to keep up with the growth of Morgantown's riverfront.
The $55,000 boat and the weeks of training 10 officers received will help the city immensely, Police Chief Phil Scott said.
"As the riverfront continues to develop and expand, we saw a need for a police presence," Scott said.
"Our main goal is visibility during special events/holidays with an emphasis on safety."
Events like the Fourth of July fireworks, MedExpress Mountaineer Triathlon and Mountain-Fest motorcycle rally bring throngs of people to the city, many of whom venture down to the riverfront.
Morgantown Fire Department has its own boat, but it's used mainly for water rescues and fighting fires.
The police boat can be used for enforcement of river safety rules, the recovery of evidence and much more.
Scott said it never hurts to stay ahead of the curve.
"The overall goal of the police department is to be a self-sufficient agency that has the personnel, equipment and training to respond to any emergency as well as the changing needs of the community," he said.
First Sgt. Joel Smith said officers had to train for two weeks to become certified to operate the twin-engine boat. Of the 10 Marine Patrol Unit officers, five also are dive certified, Smith said. Training was conducted by U.S. Coast Guard captains from the state Division of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division.
It was a challenge, he said. "This is something different than the streets. It's a totally different environment. It's challenging transferring your police tactics to a water environment, but it presents the same type of officer safety issues."
The 22-foot boat can operate day or night and in extreme weather conditions. It has a Global Positioning System device and sonar. The sonar allows officers to tell the depth of the river and the composition of the riverbed below. It also helps them search for evidence or bodies.
"You find everything — anchors, fishing poles, anything you can imagine," Smith said.
Smith said the boat has been in use since June.
One main problem they've found on the river is safety.
During large events or even on a sunny weekend, people pile onto inflatable pool rafts and launch into the river. It's not safe for anyone — particularly children.
"They're not equipped for the river," Smith said. "They don't have the safety aspects for the river and they put their children on it."
Although state law stipulates that adults must wear life jackets after dark, children 12 and under must wear them all the time.
Smith said he is surprised how many people ignore water safety issues. "Our first priority is safety and we have to enforce the law to keep people safe."
Sgt. Steve Ford, a certified dive master, agreed.
"With the growth of the waterfront," he said, "it's a needed thing.
Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion Post - The new boat was purchased with a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and will be used to patrol the booming riverfront.