Coast Guard Law Enforcement

Non-Lethall Weapon to Stop Small Boats

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Department of Defense’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Directorate (JNLWD) recently conducted a demonstration of a developmental non-lethal weapon designed to stop suspicious small boats. The program, referred to as Boat Trap, involves dropping an entangling net from a helicopter into the path of a boat. The net entangles in the boat’s propeller, forcing the vessel to a safe stop. According to Darrel Webb, Maritime Project Engineer at the JNLWD, potential applications of the Boat Trap device include port security, protecting large vessels by reducing vulnerability to terrorists’ use of speed boats, and drug interdiction activities. “Non-compliant small boat threats have elevated the importance of less-than-lethal technology to stop non-compliant vessels,” said Commander Eric Riepe, the Policy Division Chief for the Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement. “Currently, the Boat Trap appears to have potential in stopping non-compliant vessels while executing Coast Guard law-enforcement missions.” The Coast Guard held the Boat Trap demonstration at Marathon Coast Guard Station in Marathon, Florida, in December. The demonstration included a series of four drops of the Boat Trap device from a helicopter into the path of a 33 ft Eduardono Go-Fast boat with twin 200 hp Yamaha outboard engines traveling at 30-40 knots

CTF 151, First Suspected Pirate Capture

Ships from Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 prevented a piracy attack in the Gulf of Aden, which resulted in the apprehension of more than a dozen suspected pirates aboard an alleged mothership May 13. At approximately 3:30 p.m., the Republic of Korea Destroyer, ROKS Munmu the Great (DDG 976) and guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) responded to a distress call from the Egyptian-flagged Motor Vessel Amira, which reported being attacked approximately 75 nautical miles south of Al

CG, NOAA Fisheries Intercept Vessel

A Coast Guard H-60 helicopter sighted a trawler allegedly fishing for groundfish in the Rockfish Conservation Area on February 6. A National Oceanographic Atmospheric Agency Fisheries Special Agent aboard the helicopter spotted the fishing vessel Astoria, Ore.-based Sara Frances using bottom trawl gear in this conservation area. Beginning January 1 of this year, fishing for groundfish in this area with bottom trawl gear is prohibited.

Coast Guard on Patrol in Boston

Coast Guard Cutter Flyingfish patrols up the Mystic River towards the Tobin Bridge on January 31, after suspicious packages were reported on the Longfellow and Boston University Bridges. A portion of the Charles River, from the Museum of Science to the Boston Harbor locks, was closed. Coast Guard Sector Boston also increased random patrols of ferry terminals and put law enforcement teams aboard some commuter ferries as a precautionary measure. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer Etta Smith

Coast Guard Increases Presence in Preparation in and around NYC/NJ

U.S. Coast Guard Marine Science Technician 3rd Class Christopher Estelle, 24, observes passengers as they embark aboard a Circle Line ferry at Ellis Island. The Coast Guard has increased its local law enforcement patrols, including the presence of armed tactical operations boarding teams aboard ferries and other commercial vessels operating in and around the Port of New York and New Jersey, in response to the heightened terror warnings and to prepare for the upcoming Republican National

USCG Contracts HII to Build Sixth National Security Cutter

The U.S. Coast Guard awarded a fixed‐price incentive firm target contract valued at approximately $487.1 million to Huntington Ingalls Industries for the production of the sixth National Security Cutter (NSC). NSC 6 will be built at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss. Two NSCs are currently in production. The Coast Guard awarded the production contract for NSC 4 in November 2010 and production of that vessel is approximately 39% complete to date

Iraqi Officials Visit U.S. Coast Guard

Eight government officials from Iraq are visiting the U.S. Coast Guard Sector at Mayport in order to learn about Coast Guard operations in homeland security and border control, according to a First Coast News report. The Iraqi visitors all hold positions that relate to border security, homeland security or law enforcement, and are trying to learn techniques that will improve security in Iraq. The visit is part of the U.S. State Department's International Visitor Leadership Program.

Partners in (fighting) Crime

By Petty Officer Etta Smith “Everyone remain calm! We are the U.S. Coast Guard and we’re here to conduct a security boarding,” a law-enforcement officer announces as his teams rush aboard an elegant, white cruise ship. The teams: Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Teams from Boston and New Orleans. The vessel: the Spirit of Boston, an upscale, commercial, dinner cruise ship nestled in the heart of metropolitan Boston.

New Members, Deepwater Horizon Board

Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Co-Chairs J. David Dykes (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement) and Captain Hung Nguyen (U.S. Coast Guard) announced that U.S. District Judge (Ret.) Wayne R. Andersen and U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Mark R. Higgins will be joining the Deepwater Horizon Joint Investigation Team.  The addition of Judge Andersen and Capt. Higgins will increase the depth and diversity of the team

Mustang Survival Wins US Coast Guard Contract

Mustang Survival has been awarded a long term contract to supply the United States Coast Guard (USCG) with lightweight and heavy duty dry suits. The contract, with a ceiling value of $20m over five years, will provide USCG boat crews with Mustang’s new Sentinel Series of lightweight and heavy duty dry suits for use in a variety of mission-critical operations including Search & Rescue, maritime law enforcement and maintaining Aids To Navigation.