VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — The Fourth of July is among the busiest boating days in Volusia County. Eyewitness News joined Sheriff Mike Chitwood and his Marine Unit on an exclusive ride-along to observe how they patrol the waterways.
While it’s common for those patrols to turn into a parade for Sheriff Chitwood, his team is vigilantly watching for safety violations behind the scenes. Their main concerns during a holiday are boating while intoxicated and speeding in no-wake zones.
Preventative patrolling faces challenges this year after the state passed the Boater Freedom Act. It went into effect on July 1 and requires law enforcement to have probable cause to stop and inspect boats.
“You have to have another reason to stop the boat. They are speeding in a slow zone, their numbers aren’t properly displayed and they don’t have the right marker lights,” said Sgt. Brodie Hughes.
Chitwood said his agency had already operated that way before the change but added that the safety checks gave them a chance to teach people the rules.
“You can look out and see these people are out on the water all the time and you see people flying by on jet skis and you’re like they’re not from here,” said Chitwood.
He happily supports the celebrations and crowds, as long as everyone remains respectful.
“That’s the deal. We want you to come out here, but you’re going to be educated and it might be a little expensive,” said Chitwood.
Another concern with the law change is related to the sanitation inspections. Sgt. Hughes said part of his job used to be checking people’s systems.
“I think they missed the boat on this one because there are people directly flushing their toilets into the river. How do I make sure they’re not doing that if I can’t just go check it?” said Hughes.
Chitwood agreed and mentioned that derelict boats will also be a concern.
“You know, for a year, they’re pumping waste and sludge, poison really into our environment. That’s going to hurt us a little bit,” said Chitwood.
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