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Pierce County, with a population of over a half a million, is divided in half by Puget Sound with several populated islands. Pierce County has about 235 miles of salt-water shoreline, second most of all counties in the state. In addition, Pierce County has over two hundred lakes of five acres in size or larger and several major rivers that provide everything from hydroelectric power with their associated reservoirs to the many rivers and lakes for fishing and rafting. Pierce County is truly a water enthusiast' s paradise. Unfortunately along with all of this come the inevitable problems.
In the 1960's and for most of the 1970's, the Sheriff's department took strictly a reactive approach to problems on the water. The two boats the Sheriff's Department had were under the control of the Traffic Division and, as such, were part of Search and Rescue. For whatever reason, it was believed that if you could ride a motorcycle, you could operate a boat! Anyway, there was little if any attention given to addressing the problems that a growing water recreation oriented population was creating. However, because of the complaints that were beginning to occur, the Sheriff, then an elected official, began providing limited 'commissions' to certain lake residents in exchange for providing some sort of presence on Pierce County Lakes. It also helped to gather support for the next election!
It wasn't until the mid- to late-1970's that things began to change. As luck would have it, the department's largest boat, a 17-foot Skagit with an old Evinrude outboard motor, was being trailered from the County Garage to a local lake when an errant motorist ran a red light, striking the boat and trailer and totally destroying both. Now the county was armed with an insurance settlement and a need for a replacement vessel. After considerable research and discussion, the department elected to purchase a 'water-jet' drive vessel of aluminum construction. Because the insurance money didn't fully cover the cost of the new vessel and other county money had to be added, it was decided to place the department boats under the 'Special Services Division' where there would be some control and accounting for money and activity. Since volunteer programs were already part of this division, all the various 'Special Deputies' were brought together to form the Water Safety Officer program. For the first time, officers, both regulars and volunteers, began to work together and receive some training.
It started slowly at first with some of the older officers being 'grandfathered' in while younger officers actually began to go out on lakes and practice their skills. Weekend training classes were held for the volunteers and the department began to participate in aquatic events by providing security at boat races on lakes and the Fourth of July celebration on Commencement Bay. We were fortunate in those days that the Coast Guard maintained an eighty-two foot Cutter in Gig Harbor. They were always willing an able to handle the majority of calls for service in this area and we were able to pick and choose the various functions to become involved in. Working on the salt water was relatively new to the department and it soon became obvious that small, lake-type trailer boats were of little practical use on Puget Sound. Fortunately, Deputies being a highly resourceful lot, soon found a surplus Coast Guard 'forty-footer' that was noted for it brute power but for little else. Soon the 'Lady Pierce' became an irregular sight in the South Sound area. Unfortunately, like most surplus property, there was a reason the Coast Guard got rid of these boats and the need for maintenance began to take its toll. Long time Deputy and tugboat owner, Jon Patterson, was able to keep the boat running for several years with little, if any financial support. Unfortunately, even with the best of intentions, the Lady Pierce was soon put up for auction and was last known to be a working boat in Alaska.
Boaters, especially boaters in Law Enforcement, are not easily discouraged. I t wasn't long before a second surplus Coast Guard vessel was found. This one being only 22 feet and with a new motor, it promised to be the answer to our salt water needs. It was at about this time that the most significant change affecting marine operations took place. In 1984, the Washington State Legislature passed what became known as the Comprehensive Boating Safety Act, which put our state into the boating registration business. Of course the state fathers did this for the revenue that registrations would generate but as part of the federal requirements for approval, the state had to provide certain services to the boaters on the water. It also removed the Coast Guard from their responsibility to provide boating safety services to recreational boaters in Washington. Throughout the state, local law enforcement agencies found them selves tasked with something that very few departments knew much about, let alone have the resources to actually do. As a result, the PCSD's Marine Services Unit was formed.
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Initially, five Deputies, two Sergeants and a Lieutenant became our department's answer to the state mandated need for 'boating-safety' officers. In many cases, officers were drafted because they had a boating background and enjoyed being on the water and eagerly looked forward for an opportunity to mix their vocation with their avocation. During the spring of 1985, a small group of police and sheriff' s officers from throughout the state gathered at Fort Worden State Part near Port Townsend for the first, state sponsored Marine Law Enforcement Academy. The academy, as well as administrations of state boating programs, had been made the responsibility of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Department. This academy turned out to be little more than a basic boating course not unlike what the public takes. However, the real benefit came from the officers themselves and their willingness to work with State Parks. The goal was to work together to help create a boating program worthy of our state and all of it's aquatic resources. Whether that has actually happened depends on who may be discussing the subject. One thing is certain however, and that is Pierce County took a lead roll early on and has continued in that capacity to the present day.
Each year, states that have approved boating programs are allowed to send two representatives to the National Boating Safety Course in Yorktown, Virginia. In 1986, two Sergeants from our Department were among the first to represent our state by attending this course. They brought back a commitment that the Pierce County Sheriff's Department would become a leader in the state in all aspects of Boating Safety. Since that time, we have been fortunate to have sent a total of five officers to 'Yorktown' and they in turn have become regular instructors at the much improved Marine Law Enforcement Academy now held twice each year in Kennewick.
Along with the creation of the state program came some financial assistance for our department as well as other agencies throughout the state. We soon realized the need to expand and that meant new and modern equipment. We recognized the value in aluminum construction for 'work boats' and developed a close working relationship with a local company, Aluminum Marine Manufacturing Co., better known as Almar. As officers became more accustomed to working on the water they too began to look at vessels and what would and what wouldn't work. Soon, a modern, very 'user friendly' design was conceived and in turn constructed by Almar. It wasn't long before other departments, as well as the state who administered the grants for these boats, took notice of our vessel and within a couple of years, the prototype Pierce County boat became the state standard for funded programs. Once again, Pierce County's Marine Unit led the way.
The County's Marine Services Unit continued to work the lakes, rivers and Puget Sound during the summer and holidays throughout the eighties and early nineties. We added a couple of new lake boats and began stationing boats on major lakes for a more efficient use of time and improved response time to emergencies. We were also being called on to respond to more and more emergencies on Puget Sound. It soon became evident that the relatively small, trailer type boat with very limited capabilities no longer met our needs for 'all weather' extended Search and Rescue missions. Officers from throughout the unit cooperated in designing what would become a multi purpose, all weather, utility patrol boat. A vessel with state of the art electronics that could stay on station for up to eighteen hours and provide some element of comfort and support for it's two officer crew. It took several years but finally in December of 1994, the Pierce County Sheriff's Patrol Boat RELIANCE was commissioned. After several months of Coxswain and Crew, the P/B RELIANCE began regular patrols on Puget Sound covering not only Pierce County but portions of King, Kitsap, Mason and Thurston counties as well.
Since those humble beginnings in the sixties, the Pierce County Sheriff's Department's Marine Services Unit has grown to become a well known, well respected marine service provider in the Pacific Northwest. Marine officers have periodically provided testimony in Olympia at legislative hearings on various boating measures. Officers from the unit have become involved with regional, as well as national and international organizations such as the United States Power Squadrons, Washington Boating Safety Officers Association, the California Boating Safety Officers Association and the International Association of Marine Investigators to name a few. With a focus on boating safety and education, the Marine Services Unit continues to train new officers so that Deputies can continue the overall mission of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department in providing high quality, professional service to recreational boaters throughout Pierce County.
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