Nov. 04--Sausalito police have launched a reinvigorated water patrol, which includes making the bay along the shoreline an official beat area.
With seven marinas, 2.5 miles of waterfront, and between 1,700 and 2,500 berths, Sausalito police Chief Jennifer Tejada said the city's marine patrol program needs to be a priority.
"When I got here we did not have substantial means to patrol the waterfront," said Tejada, who took over as chief earlier this year. "We were somewhat deficient in providing attention to that area."
The city has had a water patrol since 2007, but it languished and didn't have direction. Tejada moved the program forward, creating a third police beat area to include waters along the shoreline. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard have trained six of Sausalito's police officers as part of the patrol.
The Army Corps also loaned the police department a 26-foot-long Secure All-around Flotation Equipped, or "SAFE" boat. The agency has allowed Sausalito to designate it as a police boat at no cost to the city. The boat even carries a city logo.
"The focus is water security and creating a safe boating environment," said Tejada, who has devised a patrol schedule for the waterfront as the department has for its regular neighborhood beats. "We want to keep the peace and protect and serve everyone in the community on boat or on land."
The boat is expected to be available for rescues and assisting those who live
aboard boats, but law enforcement will be a priority.
Some members of the "anchor out" population -- those who live on sometimes dilapidated boats in the bay -- have run afoul of the law for crimes such as drinking in public, vandalism, trespassing, possession of drugs and alcohol, fighting in public and other crimes, Tejada noted.
"We want a peaceful atmosphere out on the water," she said. "It can be a violent place because of the drugs and alcohol that are involved."
At a council meeting Tuesday, Councilman Jonathan Leone noted the anchor out community has been leery of police in the past and that the new effort needs to treat them respectfully.
"We ask that you treat (the boats) like someone's home, because the impression that exists out there is that has not been the case," Leone said. "But there is certainly an element out there that needs to be watched closely."
One resident who lives along the water is happy to see the patrols and said they have already paid off.
"There were incidents of people speeding and leaving huge wakes or working on outboard motors on the launch ramp or doing whatever; it was kind of a nightmare," said Johnston Melbostad, a resident of Bridgeway Marine. "There has been a huge reduction in those types of incidents. It was ridiculous we didn't have a water patrol."
Contact Mark Prado via email at [email protected]
Copyright 2011 - The Marin Independent Journal, Novato, Calif.
