The Leelanau County Sheriff’s Office dedicated the new patrol boat for its marine safety unit at Leland Harbor Aug. 29. Sheriff Mike Borkovich, who hosted the ceremony, said that it took eight years of grant applications to fund the purchase of this boat.
At 31 feet from the tip of the bow to the stern, this larger craft is more capable of navigating the waters of Lake Michigan than the office’s 25-foot 2009 Wellcraft boat. The used patrol boat was put up for auction in July.
Borkovich said that the county’s marine safety unit performed simulated rescue operations with Emergency Response Teams (ERTs) and National Park Service rangers Aug. 28, the day before the dedication, and were impressed by the boat’s performance.
“This boat is phenomenal; we had it out yesterday in a ERT operation out on North Manitou Island – a lot of ERT personnel along with some park boats. It’s just a fantastic asset. It’s good for homeland security, and it’s good because it protects our marine deputies when they’re out on patrol,” Borkovich said.
The patrol boat is dedicated to Charlie Belanger, a former marine safety commander who retired in 2019 after 47 years of service. Belanger attended the dedication with friends, family, and other former marine safety deputies.
Instead of breaking a bottle over the hull to christen the ship, Belanger popped a bottle of Leelanau County-grown sparkling wine and let some of the foam drip onto the patrol boat before taking a swig of it himself.
“We appreciate what you did for this county,” Borkovich said. “You and I - when I was a conservation officer – went on a lot of rescues together. You continued to do that through your whole career. You saved lives, you helped recover people, and for families who lost someone, you gave them closure. Thank you for everything you did for Leelanau County, and we appreciate your friendship.”
From Leland Harbor, Leelanau County’s marine safety unit seems better positioned to respond to emergencies on the waters of Lake Michigan than the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has bases in Charlevoix and Manistee, which are both over 30 miles away as the crow flies. The craft may also be carried to other launch points by trailer.
The Leelanau County board of commissioners accepted over $409,000 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security towards the new patrol boat back in August 2023. The boat was purchased from the state of Washingtonbased SAFE Boats International for $547,719.97, with the remaining 25% of the costs coming from the county budget.
The boat has a fully enclosed cabin, twin 300 HP electric motors, a cut-out on the hull for divers, and a doppler radar system for collision avoidance.
Leelanau County’s marine safety unit consists of four personnel: a commander and three deputies. Besides the new SAFE patrol boat, the unit has three other boats, including a 24-foot Pursuit boat and 19-foot and 17-foot Boston Whalers. According to leelanau.gov, they operate in Leland Harbor and the Elmwood, Northport, and Suttons Bay marinas.
Charlie Belanger, a retired Leelanau County marine safety unit commander, takes a swig of county sparkling wine during an Aug. 29 dedication ceremony while Sheriff Mike Borkovich looks on. The patrol boat was dedicated to Belanger in recognition of his 47 years of service in the marine safety unit.
