On boat patrol with La Paz County Sheriff

Parker Live spent 2 hours on boat patrol with the La Paz County Sheriff’s Department recently, to find out what they do, to see the most common river law violations and give the public an idea of what their typical processes are like.

The Sheriff’s Department allowed us complete access, without any ‘no go’ areas or restrictions. The officers were friendly and welcoming.

Our video, below, shows what happened during that 2 hours, with particular attention paid to an OUI arrest (Operating Under the Influence) that was made during our time on board.

Can’t see the video? Go HERE.

The subject in that arrest is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If found guilty, the most likely outcome will be a hefty fine. He was visiting from out of state (not CA or AZ) and will need to plan a return trip to attend court. He, too, was friendly and cooperative, and mostly seemed stunned that he appeared to be over the legal limit. He was worried about the consequences, including for his job, and the officers provided reassurance in some areas where they thought it was appropriate.

The job of a boating safety officer is not easy in the Arizona summer heat. Unlike the other river users around them, they aren’t there for recreation, and they aren’t getting cooled off by the Colorado River water. Their job is an important one, and they know it. The safety of the people around them depends on their enforcement of the laws.

A summary of Arizona boating laws can be found HERE.

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Unlike most of our other articles, the public comments on this one won’t be found below but rather at the video itself on our Facebook page HERE.