The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office recently added a 2021 31-foot Life Proof Boat to their collection, thanks to a grant from the Operation Stonegarden program.
The Operation Stonegarden program or OPSG program supports enhanced cooperation and coordination among Customs and Border Protection (CBP), United States Border Patrol (USBP), and local, tribal, territorial, state, and Federal.
The 2021 31-foot Life Proof boat boasts a 10-foot beam, 200-gallon fuel tank, and twin Mercury 350 engines, along with all the bells and whistles expected for a law enforcement vessel.
“This boat is designed specifically for offshore,” said Lt. Jim Hyde, of the Special Units Division, and it was built to the department’s specifics.”
The grant is funded through the Department of Homeland Security, led by the Customs and Border Protection.
The vessel is expected to be used predominantly for border security, patrolling the open waters along Indian River County’s Atlantic coast. However, it will also be deployed to assist boaters in distress and other maritime matters.
Once a boat lift is installed, the vessel will be docked at Mulligan’s Beach House Bar in Sebastian. The restaurant’s owner is providing the dock space as a courtesy to the Sheriff’s Department.
Having the boat docked at this location will allow law enforcement to respond and get to the Sebastian Inlet in 10 to 15 minutes.
