Quote:
Originally Posted by Acres per Second
3) One can always complain to the Marine Patrol— but prepare to be interrogated! 
Toll-free NHMP: (877) 642-9700 |
APS,
Please expand upon your comment here. I have on more then one occasion decided a issue was bad enough on the water that I would talk to the Marine Patrol. On those occasions I have never felt I was being Interrogated.
The MP officers have always asked the standard who what where and why questions and tried to get as many details as possible for their reports but other then that, nothing has ever been interrogative in Nature. What they have done, is listened to what I have had to say, taken as much information as I could give them, and also told me weather or not what happened was really an offense or not. Occasionally if they feel what you are reporting is a offense they ask you to fill out a witness report but that is really about it.
In fact this weekend, the young officer whom I talked to would have had every right while I was talking to her to decided to do a safety inspection had she wished. In fact to tell you the truth I halfway expected it. But I was calm while talking to her, I didn't try tell the MP how to handle the situation. I simply gave them some information regarding a situation, and the people I knew where involved. The MP officer did what she felt best. Agreed that the operators in question should have known better... And that although there was nothing to do after the fact, she herself and others would pay a little more attention to the area and people in question over the next few weeks, and get after them if they where caught continuing to do what I witnessed.
The MP is more the willing to help out. People need to understand that they just can't go write somebody a ticket because you said they did xyz... but if you let them know something is happening, and who might be involved, they try to keep an eye out. There is a certain amount of questioning they have to do in order to take credit in your report.
The Marine Patrol is like any other Law enforcement Agency. The do ask questions when you talk to them. Because they need to make sure they are being given reliable information, and aren't just dealing with someone that has an ax to grind. How ever unlike other law enforcement Agencies most MP officers have a love for the essence of what they are doing. They are boaters at the end of the day, and just like all of us they would like nothing more then an enjoyable day on the lake.