Q: How often does the Gulfport Police Department take the boat out to check the bay for violations? – via Facebook
A: The Gulfport Police Department does not pay a dedicated marine enforcement officer. Instead several qualified officers operate the boat in addition to their normal duties. Because of this, the patrol schedule varies based on things like staffing levels and investigative caseload.
“We strive to maintain an average of 20 hours per month over the course of a year, although this past year will not reflect that as we were without a boat for several months,” Gulfport Police Chief Rob Vincent says. “Since we acquired the new Zodiak in August, we’ve been exceeding our goal.”
