Stone Harbor Police Department Returns to Back Waterways of Stone Harbor

STONE HARBOR — Chief Paul Reynolds is pleased to announce the return of the Stone Harbor Police Department on the back waterways of Stone Harbor with the addition of a 19′ foot Carolina Skiff police boat. Mayor and Council approved the purchase of the vessel in the 2015 budget and it was recently delivered.
In 2010, the Stone Harbor Borough Council Public Safety Committee disbanded the police boat as they had just acquired a SHFD marine fire boat. Since then, Stone Harbor police officers have responded to calls for bridge jumpers, capsized boats, and swimmers in distress. While the police department continued to respond to these emergencies both in the ocean and back bays without the use of a boat, it was determined that the absence of a police marine unit limited the department’s ability to proactively patrol the water, spread water safety awareness to those enjoying Stone Harbor’s waterways, and assist other agencies in remote areas such as Stone Harbor Point.
Along with the mission to protect life and property, the Stone Harbor Police boat will be utilized to conduct periodic patrols of the waterways to interact with the community to help raise awareness of water safety, to respond more efficiently to emergencies on the water, to enforce boating laws, and to provide patrols in the Stone Harbor Point area to assure the protected areas are not being disturbed. The addition of the SHPD marine unit police boat will supplement the Stone Harbor Fire Departments marine unit in responding to emergencies and protecting the visitors and residents of the Borough.
The Police Department thanks Mayor Suzanne Walters, Borough Council, and Public Safety Chairman Al Carusi for their continued support to supply the necessary tools and equipment to enhance public safety in Stone Harbor.