THE WOOD COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT BOAT PATROL IS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED BOATS AND WAVE RUNNERS TO ENFORCE THE BOATING LAWS UPON THE LAKES IN WOOD COUNTY. 

BOAT PATROL – 2004: 

Figures for the 2004 Wood County Boat Patrol have been compiled and the Report for Reimbursement has been submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 

 The Patrol operated a total of 440 hours in 2004.  This breaks down as follows:

  53.5 Hours – Boat Safety Class Instruction

299.5 Hours – Patrol

     87 Hours – Training

 Patrol utilized fourteen deputies from the Department.

 There were a total of 25 citations issued by the Boat Patrol consisting of:

                                    Personal Floatation Device Violations

Personal Watercraft Violations

Operating within 200 feet of shore by a Personal Watercraft

Registration

Reckless Operating of a Personal Watercraft

The Patrol operated two Boat Safety classes during the year.  The classes consisted of four evenings of instruction and required a written test at completion.  A total of 39 students graduated from the Boat Safety classes.  The classes were again made up of both children and adults.  The majority are children but we continue to attract a good number of adults. 

The figures for reimbursement for the Boat Patrol have been compiled and we have submitted a Request for Reimbursement of $7,433.97.  This is down from the 2003 reimbursement.  The primary reason for this decrease is the amount of hours that were spent patrolling our waters, 307 in 2003 compared to 299.5 in 2004. The weather has been a main factor in the patrol hours decreasing, the patrol has not been able to get out and patrol, and the public is not out there.

The reimbursement by the Department of Natural Resources is pro-rated depending on the amount of participating agencies as well as the amount of money funded.  The maximum amount of reimbursement is seventy-five percent of the amount requested.

The Patrol Boat continues to function very well and there have been no problems with it. The community is very pleased with the amount of time the patrol was out on the waters.

The best location to obtain information reference to boating laws and regulations would be to go the DNR website. Click on the link below.