Lake Sun
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Despite what appears to be a growing number of sober captains on Lake of the Ozarks, the Missouri State Water Patrol does not intend to back down on its enforcement efforts.
For the last two years, the Water Patrol has been reporting an increase in the number of sober captains along with a decline in the number of boating while intoxicated arrests and accidents involving drunken drivers.
In addition to the monthly sobriety checkpoints planned this summer, the Water Patrol will be participating in a national safe boating campaign that spans virtually every U.S. state and territory, according to Water Patrol Sgt. Jerry Callahan.
“Operation Dry Water” is spearheaded by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and aims to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of intoxicated operation of vessels. The campaign will be conducted the weekend of June 26–28.
The Water Patrol will be conducting multiple sobriety check points on the waters throughout the state during that weekend. Lake of the Ozarks will be included on the list of locations.
Nationally, alcohol is a contributing factor in more than one-fifth of all boating fatality accidents.
Boaters who come across a check point on the water can expect that they may be stopped.
Officers will make contact with the operator and perform a basic safety check of the boat’s equipment. If the officer suspects the operator has had too much to drink they will be asked to submit to a field sobriety test.
Callahan said Water Patrol officers will make every effort to keep the process as brief as possible and to ensure that traffic does not back up.
While efforts to educate boaters continue, Lake of the Ozarks is being used in a study conducted by the Southern California Research Institute to develop a standardized field sobriety test for use in the marine environment.
Over the course of the next eight weeks, two technicians from SCRTI will be working with officers on patrol boats gathering information and doing testing.
“Our method of testing has been effective, but we are always looking for ways to improve, the marine environment is much different than land,” Captain Matt Walz said.
Walz said the tests being done this summer are part of a three-year program. Lake of the Ozarks was selected to take part in the testing by the institute because of the number of boaters and arrests for BWI.
Lake of the Ozarks BWI by the numbers
316 arrests in 2006
266 arrests in 2007
219 arrests in 2008
40 arrests thus far in 2009
