Good weather this Memorial Day holiday weekend kept the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) busy as they checked over nine thousand boaters, made over 12 thousand contacts on Maryland’s waterways, and watched over 350,000 visitors to Maryland’s state parks.
NRP checked 9,100 boaters, made 12,525 contacts and performed 3,844 vessel safety checks. Officers issued 504 citations and 1,846 warnings, a 10 percent increase over 2006 figures.
They arrested nine subjects for operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol (down 18 percent from last year), 14 for other criminal acts and three for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
NRP also investigated 23 accidents with no life-threatening injuries, 20 of which were boating-related.
“Operation First Light is part of our continuing commitment to reduce the number of boating accidents throughout the state, and to increase the safety of all visitors to our state forests and parks,” said Col. George F. Johnson IV, Superintendent of the NRP.
This notice was provided by a Maryland law enforcement agency as a public service to the community.