Thin end of the wedge?

[epervier]

Dorset Police has leased two lifeboats from the RNLI to patrol Dorset's coast and rivers. The arrangement is a first for both organisations, and will provide the police with reliable boats maintained by RNLI specialist staff.

The two Atlantic class RIBs have been adapted to meet the strict specifications required for police vessels. They will be based at Poole and Portland, and will be used to patrol 89 miles of coastline between Christchurch Harbour and Lyme Regis.

Inspector Alan Ewart, of Dorset Police Marine Section, said, "The improved reliability provided by the new boats means that the marine community of Dorset will benefit from an improved police presence on the water."

is this the beginning of licence/ insurance/saftey/mot/speeding/breathaliser checks on the water?

 

[oldgit]

The Medway/Thames area has also supposed to have received a largish converted fast lifeboat which has been treated to a nice new coat of paint in police colours.Have not actually seen it yet but certainly hope too soon.The police presence on the river virtually disappeared during the late 1970s and 1980s,the only thing we have now is a police rib which is obviously a lousy all weather craft.
The sooner the thing gets out there the better hopefully acting as a deterrent to assorted tea-leaving neer do wells and serial speeders in american 23ft sports boats normally bearing the name Monterey/Sea Ray or Binliner or some such on the side. /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[Solitaire]

[ QUOTE ]


is this the beginning of licence/ insurance/saftey/mot/speeding/breathaliser checks on the water?

[/ QUOTE ]

No! Boats have been operating out of Poole for a long time. It seems to me to be simply a case of using existing resources shared between two services. Poole is the home of the RNLI and they have boats that are maintained there. Dorset police have been operating their own ribs so it just makes economic sence.

 

[omega2]

You sound a bit anti!! but when you break down or are in trouble you will have the benefit of two services.

 

[rr_123]

that's right, when i break down on the motorway i find the police a great help /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

2mph over the speed limit or park in the wrong place though, and they're all over me like a rash.

 

[Major Catastrophe]

[ QUOTE ]
that's right, when i break down on the motorway i find the police a great help


[/ QUOTE ]

Many years ago I broke down on the A1.

Cop car pulls up, winds down window and takes in the view of me tinkering under the bonnet.

"You can't break down here, you know." He says, winds up window and floors the gas.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Makes sense to me - they've got one of the most competent outfits in the world to look after their boats on their doorstep; it'd be daft not to use it. I've got a lot of sympathy for the Poole police. They may get boats to play with but they are also on the spot to deal with all the drunken morons on Poole Quay (I probably was one once).

I'd be more worried about the PHC mob for licence/ insurance/saftey/mot/speeding/breathaliser checks on the water although, on current performance, Poole council will be buying 6 top-of-the-range jet-skis and employing a bunch of target-driven jobsworth's to enforce obscure local bye-laws (sorry, still feeling bitter after that sham of an interview between Marr and Brown).

 

[timgriffin]

Saw those ribs being fitted out in East Cowes ILC and being put through their paces by the engineers , does make sense as David say's and cost effective if you compare it to the price of the Police Rib in Portsmouth VT Halmatic with twin Mercury 200 hp on the back very expensive bit of kit.
Tim

 

[volvopaul]

We saw there guys in action over august bank holiday weekend in weymouth, they were escorting an upturned boat from portland to weymouth, the lifeboat was not used as it was on its berth, we did wonder if there were any deaths involved as normally the lifeboat would have attended.

Questions no doubt will be asked, I wonder if the police will be as heroic and as keen to help as much as the RNLI when need for a tow or basic help? is there a need for it as there is more serious crime on land that really needs to be sorted.

We were traveling back to our berth on sunday and noticed a police rib just off ocean village , both officers waved to a speeding 16ft speedboat, the boat didnt slow much but the police rib carried on regardless, probably they were late for tea break, maybe next time im in a hurry i will do the same, I thought they might have turned around and had a word.

 

[ribrage]

hmmmm had heard the rnli boats were fitted with nav lights too ! so maybe now the marine police section wont just clock off at five /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

also i think they ran out of budget as the launch alarm never came back after blowing an engine (condemed both ).
so leasing more cost effective !

problem now is distinguishing the ILB from the cops ! one will pull you for speeding the other will pull you at some speed
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[chanelyacht]

[ QUOTE ]

Questions no doubt will be asked, I wonder if the police will be as heroic and as keen to help as much as the RNLI when need for a tow or basic help? is there a need for it as there is more serious crime on land that really needs to be sorted.

[/ QUOTE ]

The role of the police boats isn't to carry out rescues - for example, Alarm was around for many years and always helped boats in trouble, but that is not their primary tasking role.

As for the "more serious crime on land" comment, think of the vast amounts of very stealable money tied up in boats around the coast. After all, if you're boat's nicked it can be on the continent before you even know its gone. Would you really be happy if the police had no ability to pursue stolen boats, or check remote coves etc for anchored pinched craft?

The Dorset coast also contains a number of potential terrorist threats, in its commercial ports and elsewhere. The police have to have the capability to intercept and inspect shipping, etc. All this is a bit difficult in a Ford Focus from shore!

[ QUOTE ]
We were traveling back to our berth on sunday and noticed a police rib just off ocean village , both officers waved to a speeding 16ft speedboat, the boat didnt slow much but the police rib carried on regardless, probably they were late for tea break, maybe next time im in a hurry i will do the same, I thought they might have turned around and had a word.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ignoring the sarcy teabreak comment, I'm sure if you address your concern to Hants Police they will answer it - may be a bit more effective than just flaming people by anecdote on a forum!