Three Hour Council Meeting Aarrrggg!

[Boatcop]

L/E is stretched thin enough as it is.
On holiday weekends, San Bernardino brings in nearly their entire fleet of boats from everywhere in the County, as well as extra Officers from inland regions. They do keep some crews on the busier inland lakes, but the build up is at the River.
Arizona Game and Fish brings in Officers from areas without Lakes and has every single boat they own on the water.
Mohave County cancels all days off, beefs up patrols and works 12 hour shifts. Same for Lake Havasu City.
In Parker we also cancel all days off, 12 hour shifts, put all our boats on the water and additional offficers in the river areas. We also utilize Reserves, Seasonal/Temporary help and Volunteers, as do most of the other Agencies.
You have to remember that calls for service in other parts of the City, County or State also increase during holiday weekends. The emphasis can't be completely on the Water. There are still thieves out there, druggies, batterers, drunk drivers, car accidents, and other criminal and emergency elements that keep everyone busy.
We could add a hundred extra officers to the river area, and we would STILL be stretched thin.

[OutCole'd]

L/E is stretched thin enough as it is.
On holiday weekends, San Bernardino brings in nearly their entire fleet of boats from everywhere in the County, as well as extra Officers from inland regions. They do keep some crews on the busier inland lakes, but the build up is at the River.
Arizona Game and Fish brings in Officers from areas without Lakes and has every single boat they own on the water.
Mohave County cancels all days off, beefs up patrols and works 12 hour shifts. Same for Lake Havasu City.
In Parker we also cancel all days off, 12 hour shifts, put all our boats on the water and additional offficers in the river areas. We also utilize Reserves, Seasonal/Temporary help and Volunteers, as do most of the other Agencies.
You have to remember that calls for service in other parts of the City, County or State also increase during holiday weekends. The emphasis can't be completely on the Water. There are still thieves out there, druggies, batterers, drunk drivers, car accidents, and other criminal and emergency elements that keep everyone busy.
We could add a hundred extra officers to the river area, and we would STILL be stretched thin.
I agree, it seems the L/E is strectched as thin as it can be. It looks like the only answer we can come up with for a cure is to add more L/E & become more strict on the 2%.
What do you believe is the answer for a place like the Channel? From an L/E perspective.

[ClownRoyal]

sent mine ...

[Big Warlock]

If they can make some of those pathetic boats "Auxilary Coast Guard" then we might think about deputizing a few boaters here and there. Maybe a "water posse." Joe Arpaio would be proud!!
:hammerhea :2purples:

[Boatcop]

The ultimate solution would be common sense and courtesy on the part of boaters. But we all know that isn't going to happen in our lifetimes.
Even if we were able to saturate the River with hundreds of patrol boats and cops, everyone on here would be shouting harrassment, and revenue seeking, and that the strong L/E presence was driving boaters away, and Havasu City would dry up and crumble into the desert.
After all, you (generic "you") are all just having fun, right?
We're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't.
The Havasu City Council will do what they feel is in their best interest. Those of us on the job and on the water are just pawns in this big chess game, and we'll do what our elected or appointed officials tell us to.

[Not So Fast]

Kind of seeing my vision now? I wasn't trying to predict the future or anything, but if this continues, you will see boaters leave Havasu. And you will see Laughlin Ranch, in Bullhead, gain lots of new residents. And if the "powers to be" continue down this road, and run the boaters out of town, AND do not market their little slice of paradise to "others" (retirees with a need for a 55' 3rd garage) you will see a drop in real estate prices in the Havasu area.
It's not what I want. It's what has a good chance of happening.
It's seems logical that LE needs to crack down on the law breakers using current laws on the books. And then throw the book at them. Get them to move on. However, this has come about because they close the sandbar and copper canyon during the holidays, forcing the party to the channel and other places.
I will tell you that my recent trips were spurred by events going on in Havasu and friends. I had not been there in over 20 years, when I used to be at the lake all the time, every other weekend, as a college guy with a boat. Things started downhill way back then when the wrong element started showing up to the lake and renting houseboats and drugs and crap started coming into the mix. I left then and hadn't come back since this spring break. There have been some great improvements with facilities and such. Next step is for LE to step up enforcement.
I know.....flame away........... :hammer2:
Excuse me, not being a smart ass but were you not the one bashing away at LEO's for highway traffic enforcement not too long ago :idea: If you are not the same guy then I apoligize but if you are then all I can say is you can't cry about one phase of law enforcement and then ask for them to step it up on another, right?? IF YOU BREAK THE LAW YOU DESERVE TO BE PUNISHED no matter where it is, can't have it both ways! We do have laws on the books for the police to control the channel effectively so we DO NOT NEED MORE! What we need is to enforce these laws (especially behavior), much stiffer fines and punishment for a deterent JMO NSF

[ClownRoyal]

Letter:
Dear Mayor and City Council,
As a resident of Lake Havasu for over 5 years I am writing to you concerning
the proposed new boating restrictions for the Channel and other parts of the
lake.
Why are you punishing the 98% of us for the 2% idiots? Do you have (I hope
you do) any idea what the Havasu economy would be without the income that
boaters bring in each weekend for 10 months a year? I would suggest you do an economic impact study before you implement your new 'experiments'. I would also suggest making a trip down to the lake on a Saturday and see for yourself how much revenue is floating on the lake.
Crack down on the 2%. Go after the problem. Don't punish us law-abiding
residents and visitors because you can't handle the 2%.
I bought my house in Havasu because of the lake and the boating. My Dad did the same. My best friend did the same. And so on ...
Drive the boaters away and your City will become a ghost town real soon.
Your town exists because of boaters...from the manufactures who create jobs
to the stores, hotels, gas stations, restaurants, etc. Don't shoot yourselves
in the foot!
Reply:
We have not enacted the items you seem so concerned about. We will be
receiving input from the Chamber and the Tourism Board.
Bob Whelan

[Krumbsnatcher]

Around 40 boats tied up just outside of the naked turtle and we partied without any cops saying a word, just a thought and yes girls lined up on the beach to attend the party just like old copper canyon days.
Look for us!

[shueman]

The ultimate solution would be common sense and courtesy on the part of boaters.....
Yup, pretty simple solution....