Marine Patrol

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office has a boat patrol program to promote safety for the persons and property in and connected with the use, operation and equipment of vessels on the waterways and lakes within Gallatin County. The promotion for safety includes enforcing boating under the influence laws, enforcing laws relating to the safe and prudent operation of watercraft, investigating boating accidents, conducting search and rescue missions and providing boater safety education.

 

The unit is comprised of specially trained deputies that volunteer available shift time to cover the marine patrol. Deputies are primarily utilized from the Canyon Unit.  The Marine Unit falls under the direct supervision of the Patrol Division.

 

The unit’s deputies are specially trained in the following areas:

 

 

The County utilizes a 22-foot Boston Whaler Outrage with twin 120-horsepower V4 engines as its primary patrol boat. It has a crew of two and will soon be equipped with radar and GPS.

 

The Marine Unit's primary patrol area is within the 212,000-acre recreational boundaries of Hebgan Lake; however, the boat can be trailered to other areas where mutual aid is requested, including Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park and Ennis Lake in Madison County.