Halton police marine unit launches new ‘Marine 2’ vessel for patrol

Halton police unveiled a new tool Monday that will help them respond to emergencies on the water, faster, just as boating season gets underway.

The police’s marine unit proudly unveiled its newest addition to its fleet, the Marine 2, which features three 350-horsepower Suzuki engines.

“This boat is going to help our marine unit save additional lives,” said Steve Tanner, the Chief of Halton Regional Police. “I have no doubt about that.”

Tanner says Marine 2 will help officers respond to on-water emergencies faster.

“It’s larger, it’s faster, and it’s safer, and those are three things that you can’t really put value on,” said Tanner. “It’s capable at 38-feet long of going 60 mph, basically almost the speed of a C-2 jet-ski, with multiple police members on it in a search and rescue sort of capacities.”

The new boat cost just over $750,000.

Sgt. William Clayton with the Halton police marine unit says the crew is most excited about the new technology.

“The state of the art electronics for searches, the radar equipment, the heat-sensing camera, and again, the ability for the engines to raise up for us to get in and out of shallow conditions is a game changer for us as well,” said Clayton.

Tanner says that vessels are on the water, once the ice clears up to mid-to-late November.

However, this year may be the first year that the boats are on the water all year round.

“Because it’s larger, it’s safer in rough weather – in rough waves,” said Tanner. “So you know you can see significant waves in Lake Ontario and they can come up very quickly at times, so this vessel will be able to respond pretty much regardless of what the weather conditions are.”

The launch comes days before National Safe Boating week and police are reminding people to wear their life jackets at all times when on the water.

“Most fatalities in the water are directly linked to people not having their floatation devices on,” said Clayton.

Halton police also say to stay sober when operating a vessel, as the number one cause of accidents is connected to impairment.

READ MORE: Port Dover search and rescue station to open for boating season