In spite of a shortened boating season on the Chain o’ Lakes, deputies from Lake County sheriff’s marine unit made a record 65 arrests for operating under the influence on the Chain and Lake Michigan in the 2000 boating season.
The county’s boating season, which runs from May through October, was shortened almost six weeks, from May 19 through June 28, sheriff’s Lt. Fred Heidecke said.
State officials closed the Chain to boat traffic during that time because excessive rainfall raised water levels to near-flood stages, officials said.
Sheriff Gary Del Re credited the number of arrests to preseason training of marine unit deputies in enforcement and the aggressive pursuit of violators.
The arrests for operating under the influence were up six from last year and up 11 from 1998, officials said.
Officials also credited stepped-up patrols for a safer summer on Lake County waterways. In the 2000 boating season, there were 21 collisions and no fatalities, compared with 29 collisions and one fatality for the 1999 season, Heidecke said.
There were 995 general citations and 274 citations for violations of Fox Waterway Agency ordinances issued this season, Heidecke said.
The marine unit has two full-time command officers, 45 part-time deputies and five part-time dispatchers and operates four patrol boats on the Chain, two on Lake Michigan and two on other inland lakes, Heidecke said.