by Kirby Lindsay, posted 8 July 2011
On Saturday, July 16th, from 11a – 2p, Fremonsters have a singular opportunity to meet and get to know our Seattle Police Department (SPD) Harbor Patrol. The first public picnic will be held at the Harbor Patrol station – located in far east Fremont at 1717 N. Northlake Place (at the foot of Kite Hill in Gas Works Park) – thanks to the Seattle Police Foundation.
This addition to the Picnic At The Precincts series (the North Precinct picnic is July 9th,) provide another chance for citizens to enjoy free food and family-friendly activities, in celebration with our local law officers. The Harbor Patrol keep watch over 200+ miles of Seattle shoreline, yet few citizens know they exist – or the location of their base of operations. This picnic will give those who live, work and/or play on the water a chance to visit the station, meet the officers, and see the equipment used daily to keep our waterways safe and accessible.
Who They Are
“Our priority here is education,” explained Lieutenant Marc Olson, Unit Commander for the Seattle Harbor Patrol, “a lot of the time people will buy a boat without a clue, and there is a steep learning curve.”
Lt. Olson has served in the SPD for 32 years, and at the Harbor Patrol for five. All Harbor Patrol Officers, including the four lieutenants, have graduated from the police academy, then served in the SPD – as patrol, SWAT, the motorcycle unit, etc.
To advance to the Harbor Patrol, first “they need to have an interest in it,” explained Lt. Olson. Twice a year the Harbor Patrol holds a month-long training session for prospective candidates, in all Patrol duties – from boat handling to mechanics.
Also, “everyone has to have an open water SCUBA certificate,” Lt. Olson explained. “It gives us the opportunity to respond quickly,” he explained, “and put divers in the water,” in any emergency. “We try to be prepared for every situation,” he acknowledged.
“We have a really great staff,” acknowledged Lt. Olson, “really the cream of the crop.” After all, a candidate can accomplish the training but that only puts their name on the list. “Some people spend their whole career trying to get out here,” he admitted. With a complement of 28 officers, all of whom worked hard to get there, they don’t have many openings.
What They Do
“I believe that any public building staffed by the Seattle Police Department should be a place of refuge for anyone that needs help.” He agreed that the picnic could simply serve as a reminder of the site of the Harbor Patrol station.
Unfortunately, Lt. Olson admitted, since the shooting of four Lakewood police officers, the gates to the station are always closed. “We don’t have staffing,” he said, to keep them open, but only press the button, ask for help, and they will respond.
The SPD Harbor Patrol works, patrolling our waterways, 24/7 – the only law enforcement entity to do so in the State of Washington. They also stay prepared for a wide variety of situations. “It’s a very diverse community,” acknowledged Lt. Olson. The Seattle shoreline – in particular, Lake Union – has a wide variety of users including small craft, paddle boarders, boat builders, mega-million dollar yachts, tour boats, float planes, houseboats/house barge residents, etc.
Begun as the Harbor Department in 1877, the current organization of the Patrol – as a department of the SPD – came about in 1962. Lt. Olson estimated that the station located next door to the future site of Gas Works Park in 1963.
Over 124 years, the Harbor Patrol duties have been expanded to include (but not limited to):
- enforcement of ordinances and regulations
- maintain regular patrols
- investigate and report marine and maritime accidents
- search and rescue
- cooperate with Federal, State, County authorities – as well as Marine Patrols from other municipalities
- Homeland Security operations including specialized counter-terrorist exercises, and training in radiation & nuclear weapon detection
- designate and patrol anchorage locations for watercraft as set forth in city ordinances, and designate take-off and landing areas for aircraft on the water
- establish and maintain use of moorage buoys
- designate restricted areas and testing courses
- provide fire protection on all fresh water inside the city limits
- issue permits for skin diving and SCUBA diving
Safety on The Water
Going out on patrol with Sergeant Michael Pugel and Officer Mark Mulvanny, the broad scope of their duties becomes apparent. On a mellow afternoon they check on floating detritus (and rescue a drifting boat fender), watch out for inexperienced kayakers, check on a sinking houseboat, and admire the patience and expertise of floatplane pilots.
They can also stop vessels, and speak with the operators. According to Lt. Olson, they prefer to be preventative and educate boaters about the rules. However, two infractions can immediately end any sailing party.
On every vessel, there “have to be enough life jackets for all passengers on board,” Lt. Olson explained, definitively. Everyone under 12 years old must wear a jacket, and everyone else must have one available – or expect your trip to come to a speedy end.
The other non-negotiable regulation: BUI, or Boating Under the Influence.
To learn more about the rules of the water, and ways to stay safe (plus new regulations on Boater Education Cards,) Lt. Olson offered to take calls at the station, at 206/684-4071.
Yet, this year, consider an easier (and much more fun) method of information gathering – the Picnic with The Harbor Patrol, on Saturday, July 16th, from 11a – 2p. In addition to getting questions answered, enjoy hot dogs and soda, and see the equipment (including patrol boats #2 & 4, built by Fremont’s own Kvichak Marine.) It may not be as simple as a phone call, but it is an excuse to spend an afternoon by the water…
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©2011 Kirby Lindsay. This column is protected by intellectual property laws, including U.S. copyright laws. Reproduction, adaptation or distribution without permission is prohibited.