Seattle Police Foundation raising funds to repair Harbor Patrol Boat 4
On a sunny June day, officers working Seattle’s Harbor Patrol had plenty to do on Lake Union.
They talked with paddleboarders about the law requiring flotation devices, and told a jetskier to slow down.
Last month, Seattle police pulled people out of the water, including a child, after their boat capsized in Lake Washington near the Interstate 90 Bridge.
“It feels good to be able to save someone,” said Officer Ken Turner, who was one of the rescuers.
He spoke as the Seattle Police Foundation launched a $25,000 fundraising campaign to repair Harbor Patrol Boat 4.
It’s SPD’s most versatile boat and its best for firefighting.
But because of a bent shaft, it can only go about 7 knots, or 8 miles per hour.
SPD has other boats, including two repaired after another foundation campaign last fall.
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“In recent years we’ve found more of a need to fundraise for officer safety equipment, officer training,” said Seattle Police Foundation President and CEO Cherie Skager, who cited cuts to SPD’s budget.
In the case of Boat 4, Assistant Chief Eric Barden said SPD did not ask for additional money to repair the boat.
“It’s hard to plan for your prop shaft to get bent,” he said. “We do have an ongoing maintenance budget that covers most things, but we have had a number of things occur.”
Short-staffing in the police department is having a big impact on the Harbor Patrol, which now usually runs only one boat at a time, instead of two.
SPD officials told KIRO 7 that has an impact on revenue, because the department does not have enough officers to contract with other cities, like Clyde Hill, to provide marine services. That money used to go to maintenance.
Seattle Councilmember Dan Strauss got his colleagues to agree to study the public safety staffing needs along Seattle’s 200 miles of shoreline. On Tuesday, he released a statement saying he was glad the police foundation was helping to repair the boat.
