Water police

Water police, also called bay constables, coastal police, harbor patrols, marine/maritime police/patrol, nautical patrols, port police, or river police are a specialty law enforcement portion of a larger police organization, who patrol in water craft. Their patrol areas may include coastal tidal waters, rivers, estuaries, harbors, lakes, canals or a combination of these.

Duties and functions

Water police are usually responsible for ensuring the safety of water users, enforcing laws relating to water traffic, preventing crime on vessels, banks and shores, providing

rigid-hulled inflatable boat

(RHIB) used by the UK's North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit. It is marked as both POLICE and HEDDLU, as it operates in both England and Wales

Equipment used ranges from

personal water craft and inflatable boats to large seagoing craft, but most police vessels are small to medium, fast motorboats. In some areas these vessels incorporate a firefighting capability through a fixed deck nozzle.^[1] The operators of these vessels are generally trained in many rescue disciplines including first aid, vessel dewatering,^[2]

and firefighting. They may also be trained as divers for rescue and recovery and as boat operators who may engage in towing operations.

List of water police units

Rescue Exercise
Australia
- Australian Federal Police Water Police
- New South Wales Police
  Marine Area Command
- Northern Territory Police
  Marine and Fisheries Enforcement Unit
- Queensland Police
  Water Police
- South Australia Police Water Operations Unit
- Tasmania Police Marine and Rescue Services
- Victoria Police Water Police Squad
- Western Australia Police
  Water Police Branch
Austria
- Federal Police (Austria) Water Police of Austria (especially Vienna)
Bahamas
- Royal Bahamas Police Force Harbour Patrol
Belgium
- Belgian Federal Police
  Water Police Branch (DAC)
Bermuda
- Bermuda Police
  Marine Unit
Canada
- National
  - Royal Canadian Mounted Police West Coast Marine Detachment
  - (Police units, usually the RCMP, can join the Canadian Coast Guard on patrol)
- British Columbia
  - Vancouver Police Department Marine Squad
  - Victoria Police Department Marine Unit
- Ontario
  - Barrie Police Service Marine Unit
  - Brockville Police Service Marine Patrol Unit
  - Durham Regional Police Service Marine Unit
  - Hamilton Police Service
  - Halton Regional Police [1]
    Marine Unit
  - London Police Service Marine Patrol Unit
  - Niagara Regional Police Service Marine Unit
  - Ontario Provincial Police – regional Marine Units and Underwater Search and Recovery Unit
  - Ottawa Police Service Marine/Underwater Unit
  - Peel Regional Police Marine Unit
  - Toronto Police Service Marine Unit – formed in 1982 to replace Toronto Harbour Commission Port Police and Harbour Police units.
  - York Regional Police Service
    Marine Unit
- Manitoba
  - Winnipeg Police Service River Patrol and Underwater Search and Recovery Unit
- Nova Scotia
  - Halifax Regional Police Lake Patrol
- Quebec
  - Montreal City Police Service
    Nautical Patrol
- Saskatchewan
  - Regina Police Service
    Underwater Investigation and Recovery Team
  - Saskatoon Police Service River Patrol Detail
Cayman Islands
- Royal Cayman Islands Police
  Marine Section
Finland
- Helsinki Police Department Boat Unit
France
- Maritime Gendarmerie
Germany
- Federal Police units embedded within the Coast Guard
- Water Protection Police units of the following State Police:
Ghana
- Marine Police Unit
Gibraltar
- Gibraltar Services Police
  Marine Unit – a civil police force which guards and enforces law on UK Ministry of Defence installations in Gibraltar.
- Royal Gibraltar Police Marine Section
Greece
- Hellenic Coast Guard, whose full name is "Harbour Corps-Hellenic Coast Guard," was originally founded in 1919 as the "Harbour Corps" (Greek: Λιμενικό Σώμα) to act as Greece's maritime and harbour police. It still performs this role, and it is often referred to as the "Harbour [Corps]" (Λιμενικό) in everyday Greek parlance.
Hong Kong
- islands. The Marine Region with about 3,000 officers, and a fleet of 143 in total, made up of 71 launches and 72 craft is the largest of any civil police force.^[3]^[4]^[5]
  Was referred to as Water Police until 1948 when it was renamed Marine Police.

Indonesia
- Indonesian National Police – Polisi Perairan (POLAIR)^[6]
India
- Kerala Coastal Police, coastal security division of Kerala State Police
Ireland
- Garda Síochána Water Unit
Israel
- Israeli Police
  Marine Police
Italy
- Corps of the Port Captaincies – Coast Guard Maritime police
- Guardia di Finanza Marine Police Section
Jamaica
- Jamaica Constabulary Force Marine Division
Malaysia
- Royal Malaysian Police Marine Operations Force

Marshall Islands
- Kwajalein Police Department Marine Police Section
Monaco
- Monaco Police Force
  Marine Division
Netherlands
- Dienst Waterpolitie
  , water police force, a subdivision of the "Landelijke Eenheid" (LE), the nationwide unit.
New Zealand
- New Zealand Police Maritime Policing Unit
Panama
- National Aeronaval Service
Philippines
- Philippine National Police
  - Philippine National Police Maritime Group
Portugal
- Polícia Marítima Maritime Police
- Republican National Guard (Portugal)
  Unidade de Controlo Costeiro (Coast Control Unit)
Russia
- Police of Russia's Water Police
  - Saint Petersburg Police's river police
  - Moscow Police
    's river police
- Russian Coast Guard
- National Guard Maritime Unit
Serbia
- Police of Serbia's River Police
Singapore
- Singapore Police Force Police Coast Guard
Spain
- Guardia Civil Guardia Civil del Mar

Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Police Service
  Marine Division
South Africa
- South African Police Service Water Wing
United Kingdom
- Devon and Cornwall Constabulary
  Marine Operations Section
- Dyfed-Powys Police
  Marine Unit
- Dorset Police Marine Section
- Essex Police Marine and Diving Unit
- Hampshire Constabulary
  Marine Unit
- Kent Police Marine Unit
- Lothian and Borders Police Marine Section
- Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit
  (formerly Thames Division)
- Ministry of Defence Police Marine Unit
- Norfolk Constabulary Broads policing unit by boat with support from 'Broads beat' officers on land
- Northumbria Police Marine Unit
- North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit
- Police Scotland Dive and Marine Unit
United States
- Federal
  - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement
  - United States Coast Guard
    - Law Enforcement Detachments (LEDETS
    - Maritime Law Enforcement Specialist
  - United States Customs and Border Protection: Air and Marine Operations
  - United States Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement
  - United States Park Police Marine Unit
- District of Columbia
  - Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol
- Alabama
  - Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marine Resources In 2013 The Marine Police Division was merged into the Alabama Department of Public Safety's Marine Patrol Division
- Arizona
  - Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol Division, Arizona
- California
  - East Bay Regional Park District Police Department Marine Patrol Unit, California
  - El Dorado County Sheriff's Office Boat Patrol, California
  - Los Angeles Port Police, Port of Los Angeles, California
  - Kern County Parks and Recreation Lake Patrol, California
  - Marin County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol, California
  - Placer County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, California
  - Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Marine Enforcement Detail, California
  - Sacramento Police Department Marine Division, California
  - California
  - Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, California
- Connecticut
  - Connecticut Environmental Conservation Police
  - Greenwich Police Department Marine Operations Section, Connecticut
  - Metropolitan District Commission Police Department, Connecticut
- Delaware
  - Delaware Natural Resources Police, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Fish and Wildlife
  - Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department Marine Unit
  - Dover Police Department Marine Patrol Section, Delaware
- Florida
  - Boynton Beach Police Department Marine Patrol, Florida
  - Daytona Beach Police Department Marine Unit, Florida
  - Florida Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Park Patrol
  - Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Law Enforcement
  - Fort Lauderdale Police Department Marine Unit, Florida
  - Hollywood Police Department Marine Unit, Florida
  - Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, Florida
  - Miami-Dade Police Department Marine Patrol, Florida
  - North Miami Police Department Marine Patrol, Florida
  - North Miami Beach Police Department Marine Patrol, Florida
  - Orlando Police Department Marine Patrol Unit, Florida
  - Polk County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, Florida
  - Tampa Police Department Marine Unit, Florida
- Georgia
  - Chatham County Police Department Marine Patrol Unit, Georgia
  - Georgia Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division
- Illinois
  - Illinois
  - Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, Illinois
- Indiana
  - Lake County Sheriff's Department Marine Unit, Indiana
- Iowa
  - Des Moines Police Department Waterway Operations Unit, Iowa
- Kentucky
  - Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife
    Resources Water Patrol
- Louisiana
  - Levee District Police, Louisiana
  - Louisiana
- Maine
  - Falmouth Police Department, Marine Unit
  - Maine Marine Patrol, Maine Department of Marine Resources
- Maryland
  - Maryland
  - Maryland
  - Maryland Natural Resources Police
  - Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department Marine Unit
- Massachusetts
  - Barnstable Police Department Marine Division, Massachusetts
  - Massachusetts
  - Massachusetts Environmental Police
  - Massachusetts State Police Marine Unit
  - Webster Police Department Marine Patrol, Massachusetts
- Michigan
  - Michigan
  - Ludington Marine Patrol (jointly operated by city police and fire departments),^[7] Michigan
  - Macomb County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, Michigan
  - Michigan Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division, Marine Patrol
  - Muskegon County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, Michigan
  - Oakland County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, Michigan
  - Ottawa County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, Michigan
  - Wayne County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, Michigan
- Minnesota
  - Hennepin County, Minnesota
- Missouri
  - Missouri State Water Patrol Department of Public Safety, Jefferson City, Missouri
- New Hampshire
  - New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Law Enforcement Division
  - New Hampshire Marine Patrol
    Department of Safety
- New Jersey
  - New Jersey Conservation Police, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
  - New Jersey State Police Marine Services Unit
- New York
  - New York
  - Erie County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit, New York
  - Evans Police Department Marine Rescue and Recovery Unit, New York
  - Huntington Harbormasters Office /Marine Patrol
  - New York
  - Nassau County Police Department Marine Division, New York
  - New York Environmental Conservation Police,
    New York Department of Environmental Conservation
  - New York City Police Department Harbor Unit, New York
  - New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police Harbor Unit, New York
  - New York State Police Marine Detail
  - Putnam County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, New York
  - Suffolk County Police Department Marine Bureau, New York
  - Suffolk County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit, New York
- North Carolina
  - Catawba County Sheriff's Office Lake Patrol Unit,[2]
  - North Carolina Marine Patrol
  - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Lakes Enforcement Division, North Carolina
  - Cornelius Police Department Lake Patrol Unit Cornelius, North Carolina
  - Gaston County Police Department Marine Enforcement Division, North Carolina
- Ohio
  - Butler County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit, Ohio
  - Henry County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Division, Ohio
  - Huron Police Department Harbor Patrol,
  - Lake County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Lorain Port Authority Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Watercraft
  - Perrysburg Township Police Department Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Rocky River Police Department Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Ross County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit, Ohio
  - Sandusky Police Department Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Summit County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol, Ohio
  - Toledo Police Department Harbor Patrol, Ohio
  - Vermilion Police Department Marine Patrol Unit, Ohio
- Oklahoma
  - Oklahoma
  - Oklahoma Highway Patrol Lake Patrol Section (Troop W)
  - Grand River Dam Authority
- Pennsylvania
  - Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Bureau of Law Enforcement
  - Pennsylvania
  - Pennsylvania (operated jointly with the city's Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and featured in the movie Striking Distance
    )
- Rhode Island
  - Providence Police Department Harbor Patrol, Rhode Island
  - Rhode Island Environmental Police, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
- South Carolina
  - Charleston Police Department Harbor Patrol, South Carolina
  - Division of Law Enforcement, South Carolina Division of Natural Resources
- Tennessee
  - Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Marine Division, Tennessee
- Texas
  - Austin Park Police, Texas
- Vermont
  - Colchester Police Department Marine Unit, Colchester, Vermont
  - Vermont State Police Marine Division Vermont
- Virginia
  - Henrico County Division of Police Marine Patrol, Virginia
  - Virginia Marine Police, Law Enforcement Division, Virginia Marine Resources Commission
- Washington
  - Anacortes Police Department Marine Patrol, Washington
  - Kent Police Department Marine Patrol Unit, Washington
  - King County Sheriff's Office Marine/Dive Unit, Washington
  - Olympia Police Department Harbor Patrol, Washington
  - Poulsbo Police Department Marine Patrol, Washington
  - Washington
- Wisconsin
  - Dane County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Division, Wisconsin
  - Wisconsin
  - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lakes Patrol Unit
- Multistate
  - Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Vietnam
- Ministry of Public Security: Vietnam People's Public Security
  - Department of Traffic Police:^[8] Vietnam Traffic Police
    - Bureau of Water Traffic Patrol and Control: Vietnam River Police
    - Bureau of Water Criminal Investigation: Vietnam River Police
    - River Squadron I
    - River Squadron II
    - River Squadron III

Gallery

A Metropolitan Police launch on the River Thames in London
Patrol boat of the Wasserschutzpolizei of Hamburg/Germany
A Chicago Police Department boat on Lake Michigan
Police boat in Poole Harbour, Dorset, England
Helsinki Police Department patrol Boats 491, 192, and 493 in front of ice breaker
Helsinki, Finland
.
Town of Oyster Bay constable on patrol in waters on the north shore of Long Island
, NY

Boats of the Marine Section of the Bermuda Police Service at Barr's Bay, in Hamilton, Bermuda
.

Italian Maritime Police Patrol boat
Indonesian POLAIR (Marine Police) Patrol Boat
Consortium, one of the vessels used by the UK's North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit
A Cheetah catamaran acquired by the UK's North West Police Underwater Search & Marine Unit in 2012, to be used during the London Olympics
Hong Kong Police Force Marine Region Police Launch 80
Toronto Police Marine Unit
Water police patrol boat on the Vistula river in Warsaw, Poland
Basque Police (Ertzaintza) Patrol boat

References

^ "Deck Guns: Know Your Flow". Fire Engineering. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
^ "Dewatering Control System". seapart.com. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
^ "Chapter 1 History – The First Century | Hong Kong Police Force". www.police.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
^ "香港警務處－警隊歷史".
^ 水警總區
^ Website: http://polair.polri.go.id/
^ "Marine Patrol | Ludington, MI – Official Website".
^ "CỤC CẢNH SÁT GIAO THÔNG | | Cục cảnh sát giao thông".

External links

[1] "Deck Guns: Know Your Flow". Fire Engineering. 2019-10-01. Retrieved 2021-12-22.

[2] "Dewatering Control System". seapart.com. Retrieved 2021-12-22.

[3] "Chapter 1 History – The First Century | Hong Kong Police Force". www.police.gov.hk. Retrieved 2022-12-02.

[4] "香港警務處－警隊歷史".

[5] 水警總區

[6] Website: http://polair.polri.go.id/

[7] "Marine Patrol | Ludington, MI – Official Website".

[8] "CỤC CẢNH SÁT GIAO THÔNG | | Cục cảnh sát giao thông".

[1]

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v t e Types of law enforcement agencies
List
Police	Airport police Auxiliary police Campus police Cantonal police Capitol police Cathedral constable Company police Conservation officer County police Fire police Highway patrol Military police Municipal police Park police Police tactical Postal police Private police Railroad police Regional police Regimental police Religious police Riot police Secret police Security police Special police State police Territorial police Transit police Water police
Related	Anti-corruption agency Bailiff Bodyguard Bounty hunter Bail bondsman City guard Coast guard Constable Criminal investigation agency Customs service Gendarmerie Intelligence officer Law enforcement Officer Neighborhood watch Parapolice Police officer Prison officer Protective security units Security guard Sheriff Thief-taker Vigilantism Watchman
Border guard Coast guard Customs Law enforcement agency Types Intelligence agency

Duties and functions

List of water police units

Gallery

See also

References

External links