Shelter Island cops get new boat from state

Police Chief Jim Read told the Town Board Tuesday that his department would have a new boat by Friday, compliments of the state, no strings attached.

Currently, the department’s boat is  30 years old with more than 4,000 hours of operation on each of its motors, the chief reported. The new boat, coming via a grant from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, is a brand new vessel worth $130,000 with twin engines and comes fully equipped, the chief said.

“All we have to do is paint the bottom and put police on it,” he added.

Noting that he has been diligently seeking a new boat for the department for some time now, and acknowledging the slowly moving wheels of  government bureaucracy, “I nearly fell off my chair” when he heard the news, he said.

The boat is currently at Bear Mountain and will be picked up on Friday, the chief said.