MOHAVE COUNTY, AZ — Earlier this month, ABC15’s Nick Ciletti had the opportunity to accompany two officers from the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office and see what it means to patrol the Colorado River, keep people safe and prevent potential risks.
Ice cream, drinks and a fast boat – that’s how you might predict a relaxing day on the water of Lake Havasu, but for Mohave County officials it’s also hard work.
“I think it’s just second nature,” said Mohave County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Trescher when asked why he takes on so many different roles while on duty. “You literally wear five different hats in one day and you don’t even realize you’re doing all of it.”
Deputy Trescher and his partner, Deputy Steffen Kjellberg, are part of the Mohave County Sheriff’s Boating Safety Division, which covers the lower Colorado River from Parker Dam in the south to David Dam in the north. They also cover Lake Havasu, parts of Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, which together cover approximately 155 miles of waterways.
After about 15 minutes of sailing, Deputies Trescher and Kjellberg notice a danger on the river: They have spotted a man on the back of the boat, where passengers are not supposed to go.
“That’s called transom riding,” said Deputy Trescher. “Basically, in the state of Arizona, if the boat is traveling faster than the speed of the waves and you’re not sitting in the passenger compartment, that’s transom riding.”
As we arrive, we notice a man and a woman and their two teenage daughters in the boat.
“We will dock on the other side,” says Deputy Trescher as the two boats approach.
When we are next to the man’s boat, MPs Trescher and Kjellberg explain what is going on.
“The reason we’re pulling you over is for rear-end driving. You can’t sit out there when someone is being towed. If you’re going faster than the speed limit, you can’t sit out there.”
Deputies say it is a common offense, often committed by people who simply do not know the rules of the river.
While this may seem minor, it could have fatal consequences. Officials said they have seen similar incidents where people have accidentally drowned.
In this case, the man will receive a verbal warning; he and his family will be allowed to continue their day, but not before MPs Trescher and Kjellberg have carried out a security check.
Officials are asking boaters to test their horn, check for their fire extinguisher and make sure all four people on board are wearing U.S. Coast Guard-certified life jackets. In this case, this family is well prepared and passed the safety inspection.
But this stop raises an important question: jurisdiction on the water, since the banks of the Colorado River form the border between Arizona and California.
Officials said the MCSO has a mutual aid agreement with the San Bernadino County Sheriff’s Department and other waterfront agencies that allows them all to work together to monitor the river.
“The general rule of thumb is that even if we are in California, we are allowed to enforce Arizona laws,” explains Deputy Trescher.
The next stop on the trip is Thompson Bay, an area not far from Lake Havasu’s famous London Bridge.
“Violations of the guard regulations occur here every day,” explains Deputy Kjellberg.
Violating the wake rules will result in boaters or jet skiers being penalized for going too fast and causing waves or disturbances in the water. There are areas all over the river with buoys marked “No Wake Zone.”
“They don’t know and they see an open lake, they just hit it and off they go,” says Deputy Kjellberg.
Deputy Kjellberg says no one can be arrested for violating the wake because it is a minor offense, but the individual can receive a summons.
“We educate them because there are so many of them … we do a lot of education stops for wake violations. A lot of people really don’t know.”
One surprise was learning about drinking and boating laws in Arizona.
“Believe it or not, in the state of Arizona you can operate a personal watercraft and drink a beer. There is a law against open cans of soda in vehicles, there is no law for that,” Deputy Trescher explains, but adds that he does not recommend this practice and that it is not a license for irresponsible behavior.
In the state of Arizona, boaters can still be arrested for driving under the influence, or “OUI,” if their alcohol content exceeds the legal limit (BAC of .08 or more).
Deputies Trescher and Kjellberg say that when they stop someone, it is never to spoil the fun; it is more to ensure people’s safety so that they can have even more fun in the future.
“I would say the biggest misconception is that we are the ‘fun police,'” says Deputy Trescher. “We’re not here to ruin your fun. We’d rather you be safe. Have as much fun as you can, but try to do it as safely as possible.”
Tune in on Tuesday, August 27th for Part II of our ride-along with the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office.
