As this year's boating season gets underway, the Erie County Sheriff's Department says it will be increasing its patrols along the shoreline.
Sheriff Timothy Howard appeared at the Erie Basin Marina on Thursday, where he told reporters that his patrols will look for boaters who are operating their vessels recklessly, and for those who are consuming alcohol while operating their boats.
He advised boaters to respect what he called the "three Cs": Be courteous, be cautious and use common sense. He also warned less experienced boaters to learn the general vicinity where high rocks exist in the waters not far from shore, and to avoid drinking while operating a boat.
"The people that are the most dangerous are the ones that don't know where these areas are," said Sheriff Howard. "And if they're drinking alcohol, they think they can just go fast and go in a straight line, that's not the case and it doesn't fit well with the three Cs."
2014 was a busy year for Howard's patrol boats and the deputies aboard. The Sheriff's Marine Unit logged an estimated 4,500 patrol hours, performed 23 search-and-rescue missions, performed 65 on-water inspections and issued nearly 200 tickets.https://youtu.be/o5Wws9WJyiA","_id":"0000017a-346e-dad6-adfb-f6ef454e0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/o5Wws9WJyiA">https://youtu.be/o5Wws9WJyiA","_id":"0000017a-346e-dad6-adfb-f6ef454e0000","_type":"035d81d3-5be2-3ed2-bc8a-6da208e0d9e2"}">https://youtu.be/o5Wws9WJyiA
Boosted by homeland security funds, the Sheriff's boats will also conduct border security patrols, looking out for people trying to enter the U.S. illegally or smuggle drugs and other goods into Western New York.
