Marine services

Marine Patrol

The Marine Patrol is comprised of a Lieutenant and nineteen certified deputies assigned to the unit as a secondary duty. The Marine Patrol is responsible for law enforcement on all lakes, rivers and other waters within Berkeley County. Safe and enjoyable boating for our community is our primary goal. To achieve this goal we make contact with violators and take appropriate enforcement action. The Marine Patrol enforces state laws, marine laws and county ordinances. The unit provides high visibility patrol on the county waterways, as well as assists boaters in distress. The Marine Patrol supports the Underwater Recovery Team and provides marine enforcement support to other law enforcement agencies in Berkeley and surrounding counties, at their request.

Underwater Recovery Team

The Underwater Recovery Team (URT) was formed in 2008 and consists of ten law enforcement divers which maintain a 24 hour response capability to any water related incident in Berkeley and surrounding counties, upon request. These divers are trained in procedures required for the underwater search, documentation required for subsequent legal proceedings and the recovery of submerged evidence (i.e. bodies, vehicles, weapons, stolen property, etc). The URT is also trained to assist the tactical team in the protection of critical infrastructure along the waterways in the county. The URT is supported by the Marine Patrol. Assignment to the URT is a secondary duty.