Police to step up patrols on lakes this summer
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Ashburnham and Environmental Police are going to be stepping up patrols on the town's lakes again this summer in an effort to prevent problems.

Ashburnham Police Officer Nick Dalton said the number of violations on the town's 10 lakes have decreased since the patrols have stepped up over the last couple of summers.

"There are a number of different types of violations," he said.

Speeding violations constitute a large portion of the town's cited violations. State law prohibits boats to travel faster than six miles per hour within 150 feet of a swimmer, waterskier, mooring area, marina, or boat launch.

"There are some lakes that are pretty narrow here, so that is the one we are most concerned about," Dalton said.

Personal watercrafts, such as jet skis, must obey all the same laws as motorboats and then an additional set of guidelines, according to state laws.

"Those are what cause the most problem or at least they are what we get the most reports on," Dalton said.

Environmental Police Department's Deputy Director Roger Arduini said they do a lot a of joint patrols throughout the Commonwealth. They will invite a local officer to do patrols both as a local outreach and as training for local officers.

"It is important part that the state interacts with the local police departments," he said. "We do get a lot of complaints in the summer times. We get a lot of complaints from local departments that ask us to come out."

Arduini said they tend to have one officer that covers a number of communities.

At the beginning of April the police forces teamed up to offer the Massachusetts Boating Basics Course, and over 40 area residents attended the five-night class.

"It's a proactive approach towards boating safety," Dalton said. "We trying to curb some of the problems that we have had."

Dalton said during the summer police can get a number of calls from waterfront residents reporting violations. He said, if a boat operator is caught driving while drinking or using drugs they could loose their license to drive a car.

"It works the same on a boat as it does a car," Dalton said.

The police department is trying get a boat to help with water patrols from money donated by the Lakes Association. Police Chief Loring Barrett said the department is looking for an inexpensive boat that will serve the purpose.