Mount Pleasant Magazine Jan/Feb 2021

173 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.VOICEofMPpodcast.com BY BILL FARLEY N o word yet as to whether the members of the Mount Pleasant Police Department’s Harbor Patrol have been studying Malay, Tamil or Mandarin. But if they have, they’d be paying homage to a tradition of service that dates back to the 1860s in the faraway multi-lingual port of Singapore. That’s when the international trading hub established the first official marine patrol – an attempt to thwart rampant piracy – and based it out of a “floating police station.” Mount Pleasant doesn’t have a floating police station – at least not yet. But the MPPD recently enhanced its own marine patrol capabilities, upgrading from a 19-foot Pioneer to a brand- new, fast, rugged and reliable Safe Boat. Built specifically for police and military service, Mount Pleasant’s new Safe Boat patrol craft model has been combat- tested. American-built by Safe Boats International of Bremerton, Washington, the new police boat is bit pricier than your weekend runabout or personal fishing boat, weighing in at $385,000, the bulk of which was supplied through federal port security grants. Lt. Christopher Rosier, who heads the 14 officer all-volunteer team of water-borne warriors — all of whom have undergone rigorous training for their mission – said, “Our job is to provide safety and security to anyone entering the waterways of the Wando River, the port and Charleston Harbor.” “We are tasked with responsibilities, from identifying and acting on criminal activity to search-and-rescue, medical assistance and educating the public about boating safety,” he added. All of the maritime police officers are thoroughly trained in first aid and have medical equipment at hand. Each shift aboard the new boat will include one member of the Mount Pleasant Fire Department’s EMS-trained medics to render additional assistance as needed. The vessel is also equipped with a mobile command center in the event of a major incident on the water. The normal complement of officers per shift on the new boat is four, although with its ergonomic design and walk-around cabin, the craft can handle as many as 25. The personnel on board will have a treasure trove of sophisticated equipment to help them with their mission. According to Lt. Rosier, the boat’s electronics include “side-scan Mount Pleasant Police Department is Keeping Our Waters Safe The newest addition to Mount Pleasant’s Harbor Patrol fleet awaits its next call to action.