The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department wants to purchase a new saltwater patrol and rescue boat to replace its last one, The Reliance, which sank over the summer.
The new boat would be larger, faster and more expensive. The price tag: $730,000.
Talk about sticker shock.
The Pierce County Council recently balked at Sheriff Paul Pastor’s request to add the upgraded vessel to next year’s budget, even though most of the cost would come from a $525,000 federal Homeland Security grant.
Council member Stan Flemming wanted to know why it’s necessary to spend so much on one boat when a luxury yacht would cost less than half that amount.
And council member Rick Talbert couldn’t fathom the cost, even if most of the money would come from the federal government.
“I can’t get my mind around three-quarters-of-a-million dollars for a marine vessel,” Talbert said. “I can’t for the life of me believe it’s this expensive.”
The sheriff’s department defends its request.
“We are asking for the amount of money for a vessel that has the capabilities that we need,” Lt. Peter Cropp said in an interview. “This is what it costs. They’re expensive.”
A saltwater patrol boat is much different than a luxury yacht. “We’re not looking at a pleasure boat,” said Cropp, who works in the department’s marine services.
The council directed the sheriff’s department to return with more information explaining the cost and duties of the boat. That’s expected to take place in December or January.
The county purchased The Reliance for $230,000 in 1994 and later spent $135,000 upgrading it, Cropp said. A corroded water intake pipe caused it to sink in July while docked in Tacoma.
Cropp said the sheriff’s department needs a new boat to patrol 235 miles of saltwater shoreline from south of Vashon Island to Thurston County. The area includes McNeil, Fox and Anderson Islands, Browns and Dash Points, and Key Peninsula.
The county also shares jurisdiction with the City of Tacoma for the waters below the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and for the Port of Tacoma.
At the port, the county is primarily a backup for the city’s 31-foot-long police vessel, which also covers Commencement Bay, Cropp said.
The U.S. Coast Guard, which has primary responsibility for homeland security on salt water, is stationed an hour away at Pier 36 in Seattle and doesn’t have the resources to be present in the Tacoma area regularly, Cropp said.
He said the Port of Tacoma is vulnerable, as is the Port of Seattle. “There are not enough law enforcement vessels on Puget Sound to handle a major issue at one of the ports,” he said.
The sheriff’s department already has applied for the grant, which originally was awarded to and declined by the Port of Seattle.
The King County Sheriff’s Office purchased a similar vessel five years ago for $600,000 that would now cost an estimated $725,000 to replace, Cropp said.
The new vessel would be used to handle search-and-rescue missions for lost recreational boaters and fishing vessels while also protecting vessels moored on the Sound from being stolen.
“Like patrol cars patrol neighborhoods, we patrol Puget Sound,” Cropp said.
By a 4-2 vote, the County Council voted on Nov. 8 against amending the budget to add the cost of vessel.
Council members Joyce McDonald and Dick Muri favored adding the $730,000 item to the budget. Council chairman Roger Bush and members Tim Farrell, Dan Roach, and Talbert were opposed. Flemming was absent at the time of the vote.
Cropp said the new saltwater vessel likely would:
• Measure about 36 feet long, making it longer and wider than the 32-foot-long Reliance. The size of the welded-aluminum vessel would provide better stability and more deck space for emergency personnel, such as a dive or SWAT team. The boat would be able to withstand stormy conditions on Puget Sound, such as 50 mph winds and 5-foot waves.
• Reach speeds of up to 43 mph, about 8 miles faster than The Reliance. The diesel boat would be powered by a jet drive unit instead of a propeller, eliminating the danger from striking debris.
• Have improved technology, including a thermal camera that would be especially useful for search-and-rescue operations.
Besides the homeland security grant, the county would use $75,000 of fund balances and $130,000 in an insurance payment for The Reliance.
The sheriff’s department has five fresh water patrol boats up to 20 feet long for lake patrols. It used one of those boats on Puget Sound until mid-September, when higher winds and waves arrived.
“Right now, we’re not using anything,” Cropp said. “There’s a huge void.”
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/polibuzz
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