LCSO Marine Unit Works County-Wide Waters | News, Sports, Jobs

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has a full-time marine unit that enforces laws and regulations and conducts search and rescue operations. The unit is located throughout Lee County, with locations on Captiva and Boca Grande, Bonita Springs, and Cape Harbor and Tarpon Point—all strategic water entry points. It patrols the waterways 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Given Lee County’s diverse geography, which includes islands, canals, rivers and lakes, waterway safety is paramount so that assistance can be provided when needed.

The county’s waterways are unique in their depths and types of water, and each has its own challenges and needs for patrol, assistance, and presence. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has a full-time marine unit that enforces rules and regulations and conducts search and rescue operations.

The unit is distributed throughout the county, with facilities on Captiva Island, Boca Grande Island, Bonita Springs, Cape Harbor and Tarpon Point — all strategic water access points.

The unit has 20 different types of vessels, from a 13-foot jon boat to the 36-foot Ambar. Officials said the variety is intended to ensure the ship can patrol shallow waters, lakes, rivers and canals, as well as nine miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

Calls include assisting other agencies in search and rescue operations, assisting boaters in distress, assisting sheriff’s deputies or citizens in need of assistance.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has a full-time marine unit that enforces laws and regulations and conducts search and rescue operations. The unit is located throughout Lee County, with locations on Captiva and Boca Grande, Bonita Springs, and Cape Harbor and Tarpon Point—all strategic water entry points. It patrols the waterways 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. LEE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Sheriff Carmine Marceno said eight deputies and several volunteers from the Civilian Support Unit have been assigned to the unit, and they are undergoing ongoing training in vessel operations, understanding waterways, comfort in a wide variety of environments and working with multiple agencies.

During busy holiday seasons such as July 4 and Memorial Day, LCSO reallocates manpower and boat numbers to provide additional coverage of the waterways.

The Marine Unit patrols local waterways 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Those needing assistance on the waterway can call 911 or channel 16 on their radio to request the U.S. Coast Guard.

Southwest Florida also has a Marine Emergency Response Team, which consists of law enforcement officers as well as other first responders — fire and EMS — in Lee and Collier counties. If an emergency occurs on the waterways, all hands are on deck — all available units respond to get resources there faster.

Marceno said the Marine Unit has the best equipment — purpose-built equipment — and trained crews to respond to emergencies. It works with the Coast Guard, state and local agencies to keep Lee citizens as safe as possible while everyone enjoys the waterways.

The unit was helpful after Hurricane Ian, with deputies ferrying people back and forth between Sanibel and the islands cut off from the mainland. It was also helpful, especially with the lack of markers and the quicksand, shallows and wrecks in the water.