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Marine Division     Marine Patrol     Boating Classes     Statistics

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Marine Division

   "The key to safe recreational boating is for boaters to wear their life jackets, pay attention to hazardous situations, and avoid the use of drugs and alcohol while boating," said Van Buren County Sheriff Dale Gribler.
     Sponsored by the National Safe Boating Campaign, National Safe Boating Week is Saturday, May 16, 2009 and continues until Friday, May 22, 2009. 
     Van Buren County Sheriff’s Marine Division personnel will be stressing the message, Wear It, which emphasizes life jacket use as the best way to survive boating accidents and avoid drowning.  The old-fashioned, bulky orange life jacket most people are used to, has been replaced with innovative new options including the new inflatable styles. Life jackets are available in a wide variety of compact, lightweight and attractive styles suitable for constant wear.  Ninety percent of the 685 boaters who drowned in 2007 were not wearing life jackets according to US Coast Guard statistics.  The National Safe Boating Campaign hopes to reverse this national trend by educating boaters on the safety equipment that is essential to increasing survival rates during unforeseen incidents. 
     For more information, contact the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division or visit the National Safe Boating Campaign’s website at:  http://www.safeboatingcampaign.net.

Contact Person:  
Sgt. Chad Jahr
Marine Division
Van Buren County Sheriff's Office
205 S. Kalamazoo St.
Paw Paw, MI  49079
(269) 657-3101  Ext. 272
Fax: (269) 657-7207
Click here to send an email

Marine Patrol

The Sheriff's Office also has a Marine Patrol Division with 20 total Marine Patrol Officers under the supervision of Sgt. Chad Jahr.  The Marine Patrol is responsible for enforcing all watercraft laws within Van Buren County. Van Buren County has a total of 113 lakes in which there are access to 78. Van Buren County also is responsible and has jurisdiction on Lake Michigan for a stretch between Allegan and Berrien Counties.

Marine Patrol has two boats that patrol South Haven, Lake Michigan area, a 21 ft. boat for patrolling the black river, and a 28 foot boat for patrolling Lake Michigan, and two 15 ft. and 17 ft. patrol boats that patrol the lakes in Van Buren Co. When needed, an unmarked boat and Loaner Personal Watercraft machines from local dealers are used for patrolling the lakes.

The Marine Patrol's first objective is water safety. While enforcing water safety, the following things are looked for:

• Legally registered vessels

• Proper display of numbers

• Proper equipment; including life jackets ( PFD's ) in the proper sizes, equaling the number of people on board. Fire extinguishers, registration papers and boating certificates.
  
  NOTE: Life jackets MUST be out of the plastic bags and readily available for quick access.

Some tasks of the patrols:

• Accident investigation and reports.

• Safety patrol for special events.

• Enforcement of marine laws.

Statistics

Boating Classes

Will be announced in March 2010.