---

---

###

(Updated at 7:57 p.m. to clarify a statement Harbormaster Tim Petrick attributed to Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin about his department's ability to provide 24-7 law enforcement coverage at the Crescent City Harbor.)

Previously:

• The Crescent City Harbor Wants To Build A Police Force; What Might That Look Like?

###

Lt. Nathan Alldredge’s experience as patrol supervisor for Santa Barbara Harbor appeared to corroborate Tim Petrick’s assurances that a similar outfit in Crescent City wouldn’t be “a set of jackboots stompin’ around.”

Alldredge told commissioners on Tuesday that his officers carry firearms, a Taser, baton and pepper spray. They have the ability to arrest people too, but those don’t happen often and when they do it’s usually the Santa Barbara Police Department that makes the arrest, Alldredge said.

The Crescent City harbormaster’s vision of a patrol force that can help vessels or people in distress and act as a bridge between the community and the port is a reality for Santa Barbara, the lieutenant said.

“The ability to have a group in your harbor that could be a jack of all trades and do the things we can do — drive boats, tow boats, perform CPR, effect an arrest, save someone from drowning, do a water rescue, fight a fire — is invaluable,” Alldredge told commissioners. “I encourage you to pursue this further.”

Petrick first introduced the concept of a professional Harbor police force to commissioners in December. At that time, and again last month, he said they would focus on educating the public and maintaining public safety before enforcement. When enforcement did come into play, officers would focus on the Crescent City Harbor District’s ordinances not the California Penal Code, Petrick told commissioners on June 20.

Petrick told commissioners in June that a Harbor District police force would be funded through state and federal grants.

On Tuesday, Petrick said he asked Alldredge to speak with commissioners because the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol and its mission statement aligns with what he envisions for Crescent City.

Petrick also mentioned Santa Cruz Harbor Patrol as another existing agency he’d like to model a Crescent City Harbor force on. He said he also asked about whether their officers carried weapons as well as other liability-related questions Crescent City Harbor commissioners were concerned about.

“None of them have ever had an officer-involved shooting,” Petrick said. “I’ve spoken with multiple deputies and their harbor patrol officers never had to pull their weapon from the holster. Like I said before, and like Nathan explained, it’s a preventative and safety force first.”

After they spoke with Alldredge, commissioners Wes White, Gerhard Weber and Rick Shepherd approved a resolution allowing the Crescent City Harbor District to receive criminal history reports for potential patrol force recruits directly from the FBI and Department of Justice.

This is a Peace Officer Standards and Training requirement, Petrick said. Previously, Harbor District employee background checks were conducted through a third party.

Commissioners Harry Adams and Brian Stone were absent.

One component of a Crescent City Harbor Patrol is the purchase of a patrol boat. The Harbor District is pursuing a Department of Boating and Waterways grant for a new boat. Though a report of the various grants the Harbor District has received and is pursuing stated that the patrol boat grant is for $1.25 million, that’s not what the district is asking for, Petrick said.

“We’ve looked at a couple $100,000 boats to $500,000 boats as far as the cost of these patrol boats for a government agency, which is more expensive than if you were to go out and buy one,” the harbormaster said in response to questioning from former county supervisor Roger Gitlin, who works for the Del Norte Triplicate.

Gitlin asked about a boat belonging to the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office, repeatedly asking the harbormaster if he reached out to Sheriff Garrett Scott.

Petrick said he spoke with Scott and with Undersheriff Devin Perry about cross training Harbor Patrol with their deputies. However, the boat belonging to the sheriff’s office is smaller, not suited to towing a 45 to 50-foot fishing vessel into port if it loses power, he said.

Petrick said members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and former deputy Enrique Ortega, who has marine law enforcement training certifications, hope to volunteer with the harbor patrol.

Commissioner Shepherd said it was important to get a more reliable patrol boat to the Crescent City Harbor especially since the Coast Guard Cutter Dorado is no longer based in Crescent City.

Santa Barbara has four vessels, three of which can be used for rescue calls, boats in distress and fires both inside and outside the harbor, Alldredge said. Their fourth vessel is a rigid hull inflatable that is used for rescues. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Black Fin is also on duty in the Santa Barbara Harbor, he said.

Alldredge urged commissioners to find out what harbor users want.

“Having some type of survey whether formal or informal for all stakeholders and constituents would go a long way toward addressing concerns and (finding out) what their needs are,” he said. “As well as incorporating that into the justification of creating a program like this.”

A handful of employees have satisfied minimum California POST certification requirements, Petrick told commissioners last month.

Petrick told commissioners that he spoke with Crescent City Police Chief Richard Griffin as well as Sheriff Scott about better law enforcement at the harbor.

At the June 20 meeting, Petrick said Griffin told him that he could send patrol officers to the harbor "every once in awhile."

However on Wednesday, Griffin told the Wild Rivers Outpost that he told Petrick that his department could offer 24-7 law enforcement services if the Harbor District entered into a memorandum of understanding with Crescent City. This conversation took place about two months ago, Griffin said, but he never heard back from Petrick.

"It's not in our jurisdiction. There needs to be an MOU between the City Council and the Harbor," Griffin told the Outpost. "We have the staff to do it, though."

---

SHARE →