Sunshine Coast RCMP take delivery of new boat

A new $250,000 police patrol boat, built in Sidney, BC has made its way to the Sunshine Coast.

Sunshine Coast RCMP have announced the delivery of a new vessel today, and although they had already had a boat for several years, this marine unit will allow police to patrol waters more frequently in all weather conditions.

According to a news release the new vessel features a range of upgrades built specifically for the Sunshine Coast RCMP’s needs. Those upgrades include a fully-enclosed cabin to keep officers, passengers and prisoners safe during transport. It also means the crew can operate in more extreme weather conditions as they will no longer be exposed to the elements.

The vessel is also faster and more stable than its predecessor. The boat will be kept in the RCMP’s boat house in Gibsons but can be moved on a trailer, meaning the public can expect to see RCMP on the water patrolling Sechelt Inlet and in the northern areas of the Coast.

Sunshine Coast RCMP Staff Sergeant Vishal Mathur says they are responsible for a longer stretch of coastline than any other detachment in the province; “Our officers need to be able to respond quickly to anything from an intoxicated person causing a disturbance on Gambier Island, to a firearms call up in Jervis Inlet. Those calls may come on a nice sunny summer day, or they may happen on a stormy night in November. With our new vessel, we are more prepared to get to those places safely and in a reasonable amount of time.”

Officers have been on the water getting used to the new boat, and currently 10 are trained to drive the vessel. In addition to responding to calls, members will also be carrying out duties such as stopping other boats to ensure compliance with boating regulations, checking for impaired boaters, and conducting foot or bicycle patrols of water-access-only communities.

Constable Harrison Mohr says the detachment’s predecessor will now make its way to the Salt Spring Island detachment.

Elementary school-aged children will have the opportunity to name the new vessel in a soon to be announced contest. Mohr says the name will be put on the boat, and there will also be a prize for the child whose suggestion is chosen.