By Nathan Straus
nstraus@jacksonvilleprogress.com
The Jacksonville Police Department recently received $20,000 as part of the Safe Waterways Grant, officials said. The money will pay to refurbish the department’s Lake Jacksonville patrol boat.
JPD Assistant Chief John Page said he applied for $27,500 in grant money in June or July.
“It’s a Justice Assistance Grant through the governor’s office. What they do is give X amount of dollars to whichever Council of Governments you’re in. They get a block of money through this grant, and if you want to apply, you write and submit to COG,” Page said.
“We’re going to send it back to the manufacturer, which is now Sea Arc, and have them completely refurbish the boat,” he said.
Work will include new electrical wiring and a new paint job, Page said.
“It’s basically a brand new boat for less than half the cost,” he said.
Jacksonville Police Chief Reece Daniel said Page did a wonderful job on the grant.
“The boat is in bad need of repair. When it’s finished, not only will it look like a new boat, it’ll run like one, too,” Daniel said.
Page said he anticipates taking the boat to Sea Arc some time in December to ensure it is ready by March. He said the 25-year-old boat was purchased from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife 15 years ago.
“If we bought it new, last I checked, it would run over $50,000. The most expensive part, he said, would be the motor. The motor alone can cost more than $15,000,” Page said.
He said repairs to the boat are needed because of the importance of having a police presence on Lake Jacksonville.
“Lake Jacksonville has 1,325 water acres, 24 miles of shoreline and over 600 homes with a 92 percent occupancy rate. Last year, the lake patrol did over 420 water safety checks on marine vessels, wrote 127 warnings for violations and filed seven cases, including alcohol offenses,” Page said.
He said from 2003 on, the lake has seen four accidental drownings — a number that shows the police presence on the lake and the difference a hard-working patrol can make. He said drinking alcohol on the water is a serious danger that needs to stop.
“You’re more of a danger to yourself than others if you’ve been drinking out on the water. You might dive in without seeing how deep the water is,” Page said.
Lake Jacksonville is the primary source of water for the city of Jacksonville, he said.
