Quote:
Originally Posted by winnipesaukeenh
I think that it is of great value on the water, because there is information about a persons history that is directly related to boat operation. I was in law enforcement in the past and I can say that it's standard practice to call in someones "information" which consists of their last name, first name and middle initial,as well as DOB. This can allow you to see if someone has a valid driver's license, see what their motor vehicle history is, as well as if they have a criminal history/outstanding warrants (depending on what you ask dispatch for). On the water, i'm assuming that they check for active warrants, or if the operator is under suspension for operating a boat due to a BWI, or other offense which would revoke their boat operating privileges. If for some reason the officer requests a social security number due to lack of identification, they will likely call dispatch via a cell phone and give them the last 4 digits, rather than call it out over open radio.
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You have raised valid points. However, past practice was that the stop stood on its own. The MV record was not to be used to influence the outcome of the stop. Plus, as I previously pointed out, it would be a difficult task for the dispatcher to keep up with and would add to the time of the stop.
Can not checking criminal history allow some bad guys to slip through? No doubt, but the primary purpose of the MP is to enforce boating laws. They do not have the manpower or facilities to cover all possible forms of law enforcement. Should an arrest occur due to BWI, the criminal record check would be obtained once the person was in a secure facility.
Remember that prior to this year, the MP was unarmed, which would pose an extreme risk to the officer if he or she was in an isolated area, out of radio range and came across a boater who had active warrants for violent crime. Attempting to arrest that person could prove deadly.
Yes, having complete information about the boater would have some advantages, but that info is not required to do the task at hand.