(WWJ) Take note if you're headed out on the water this holiday weekend: Local authorities will be there, too.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office says deputies will its Marine Unit will be out in force July 4-6, as part of "Operation Dry Water" — a national awareness and enforcement campaign to reduce alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities on the lakes.
The sheriff's office noted that Oakland County is a popular destination for water sports with its 450 navigable lakes and 83,000 registered boats, the most of any county in Michigan.
With that in mind, Sheriff Mike Bouchard encouraged residents and visitors to enjoy the holiday with family and friends, but to do it safely — keeping in mind that there will be extra marine deputy patrols on the lakes for the holiday weekend.
“We know the Fourth of July holiday is the focal point of summer for many families,” Bouchard said, in a statement. “No matter whether you’re behind the wheel of a car or operating a boat, don’t drink alcohol and drive. Protect yourself, your family, and your friends. We want everyone to enjoy the many things that make Oakland County such an attractive destination, but we want the holiday to be a safe one.”
The Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit – the largest in the state – has more than 45 part-time marine deputies who can quickly respond to emergencies on any of the lakes in the county.
The unit has 23 patrol boats, three rapid response jump boats, one hovercraft, 11 all-terrain vehicles, and six specialty boats and is equipped with SONAR and AquaEyes for search and rescue emergencies. The Sheriff’s Office also contracts with 12 communities to patrol 19 lakes: Cass Lake, Cedar Island Lake, Deer Lake, Lake Orion, Lower Straits Lake, Lake Sherwood, Lakeville Lake, Maceday Lake, North Commerce Lake, Orchard Lake, Pine Lake, South Commerce Lake, Sylvan Lake, Upper Long Lake, Voorheis Lake, Walled Lake, Walnut Lake, White Lake, and Williams Lake.
The Operation Dry Water campaign was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard and local, state, and federal law enforcement. Since its inception, law enforcement officers have removed 7,453 boating under the influence operators and made contact with 3.1 million boaters during the three-day weekend.