LAKE COUNTY — On Saturday evening the Lake County Sheriff”s Marine Patrol Unit conducted a Boating Under the Influence (BUI) checkpoint on Clear Lake.
This was the third BUI checkpoint coordinated by the Lake County Sheriff”s Office in conjunction with “Operation Dry Water” since 2009. Law enforcement personnel from California State Parks and the California Department of Fish and Game assisted with the operation.
The BUI checkpoint was intended to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and injuries and to enforce other California boating laws on the waters of Clear Lake. Boaters were stopped briefly and questioned.
Any boat operators showing signs of alcohol use, intoxication or impairment were subjected to further testing. The checkpoint was held off of Beakban Island and Leubow Point, from 3 to 6 p.m.
During the operational period, a total of 33 boaters were contacted and screened.
Seven operators were given field sobriety tests and no arrests were made for boating under the influence of alcohol.
“Operation Dry Water” was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) in partnership with the United States Coast Guard and has been a highly successful effort to draw public attention to the hazards of Boating Under the Influence (BUI) of alcohol and drugs.
Held in June just prior to the Fourth of July holiday, Operation Dry Water is a national weekend of BUI detection and enforcement aimed at reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related accidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water. Operation Dry Water is coordinated by NASBLA, in partnership with the states, the U.S. Coast Guard and other agencies.
The Lake County Sheriff”s Office considers Saturday”s operation a great success in that no arrests were necessary.
Members of the Marine Patrol Unit and officers assisting from other agencies received a great deal of positive feedback from boaters going through the checkpoint on Saturday.
