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Police Department |
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Uniform Patrol Division - Beach Patrol |
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The Myrtle Beach Police Department’s Beach Patrol Section is a vital and professional unit within the Police Department. In 1985 as a result of the ever-growing popularity of our beaches, the Police department saw a need to assign police officers on the beach. The beach patrol was started with two police officers who were given ATV’s and told to ride the beach. These officers worked dayshift and had no experience with beach or ocean activities.
Over the years with the growth of the City and the Police Department, the City saw a need for a Beach Patrol unit with officers who had experience on the beach. The Beach Patrol is now a 12 officer unit with each officer certified as police officers, certified ocean lifeguards, CPR, First Aid, and Ocean rescues. The Beach Patrol covers the 11 miles of our beaches 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. The Beach Patrol’s primary objectives are law enforcement, prevent drownings, rescue distressed swimmers and provide immediate on-scene care to ill or injured persons. Other duties include searching for missing persons, educating the public about water safety, enforcing boating ordinances and conducting rescues of distressed boats. The Beach Patrol also works closely with the United States Coast Guard and other agencies providing mutual aid for water rescue assistance.
With the popularity of pleasure boats, sailboats and personal watercrafts within our ocean, we also patrol off shore in a variety of boats. The Beach Patrol works closely with the five beach services that provide ocean lifeguards throughout the City. The Beach Patrol operates a variety of vehicles to include: Ford Ranger Trucks, All Terrain Vehicles (4 wheelers), Jet Ski’s, Sea Doo Explorer Rescue Boat, and two 18ft. Caribe Patrol Boats. The Beach Patrol has come a long way since 1985; and with the city’s continued growth, the Beach Patrol will also continue to grow.
The Myrtle Beach Police Department also has a Marine Unit which is a part of our Beach Patrol Division. The unit was formed in 2004 in response to the City's annexation of approximately 4 miles of the Intracoastal Waterway. The Marine unit is compromised of officers that have attended specialized training in Marine Law Enforcement. The department works along side the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the USCG in patrolling and enforcing the laws in the waterways and the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to Law Enforcement, the Marine Unit also conducts searches and rescue missions.
If you have any questions or comments about our Beach Patrol Section or the Marine Unit, or you would like to know what type of special services we offer, such as Handicapped Beach Wheel Chairs, you can call the Beach Patrol office at 843 918-1334 or e-mail Sgt. Philip Cain at pcain@cityofmyrtlebeach.com.
© Copyright 2004, The City of Myrtle Beach. All rights reserved. |
