Police crack down on boating laws for first weekend of summer
By Bianca Buono
@BBuonoABC6
Environmental police in Rhode Island are cracking down on drinking and boating during the first weekend of summer. Throughout the annual "Operation Dry Water" campaign, authorities will be giving random searches of boats out on the water to make sure they’re stocked with the proper safety equipment.
"This is an opportunity for law enforcement to get out there and be very proactive and educate people on the dangers of drinking and boating,” said Jennifer Ogren, an Environmental Police Officer.
But it’s not just alcohol these police officers are looking for.
"They’re going to need to have life jackets, visual distress signals, sound producing devices,” Ogren said.
ABC6 took a ride with two environmental police officers as they patrolled Echo Lake in Glocester and within minutes, a boat was stopped.
"Can I see 1, 2, 3 a whole bunch of life jackets?” asked Environmental Police Officer Mike Schipritt.
There has to be a life jacket for every person on board and in this case, there wasn’t enough.
"We’ll escort you back so you can get another life jacket,” Schipritt said.
We followed them back and fortunately they had an extra and they walked away with a verbal warning.
"All their other safety equipment checked out so they’ll be able to stay out here for the day,” Schipritt explained.
But seconds later, another boat zoomed past us. Officer Schipritt instantly noticed something missing.
"Can you hold up 2 life jackets for me?"
This time, there were no life jackets on board.
"Do you have your actual registration because that’s not registration numbers there?" he asked.
Once again, we were headed back to shore. This group was issued a warning as well but could have faced a $100 fine.
In both cases, there were no coolers on board. Had there been, police would have searched them for alcohol and potentially administered a BUI test.
"Alcohol is the leading factor in the majority of our recreational boating fatalities,” said Ogren.
Below is a link to Rhode Island boating safety laws and regulations so you are prepared before you get out on the water:
https://www.boat-ed.com/rhodeisland/boating_law.html
© WLNE-TV 2016
