Coast Guard Authority

[deepstar]

Any chance of the CG coming out here to the Middle East.....

Plenty of pirates to go around.....

[callmecrazy]

I'm not very fond of invasive authoritarian figures, but I've dealt with police more than I'd care to admit, and I now know that you simply don't question authority until you're outside of the situation. If you don't like how things work, or felt you had your rights violated, write a letter, hire an lawyer, go protest something, call your mom..whatever. But never question the rights of a law enforcement officer while he's within arms reach of you

I was boarded the other day, for the first time. It was inherently invasive, unlike police (in the US) they dont need a reason to stop you... but the overall transaction was as pleasant as it could be. The guards were friendly and talkative, and since I had my boat in order and didn't give them any reason to pursue anything beyond a standard safety check, they were actually quite grateful. The general tone was "we wish all our stops were this easy". As soon as they were off, they pulled over the very next boat they saw, which relieved any feeling I had of being singled out or messed with...

With police, you can easily run into one that is having a bad day and out for some random aggression relief... But the coastie never operate alone, so the whole team would have to be having a bad day for that type of situation.

Overall, they are here to serve a much higher purpose than simple law enforcement, and I'm glad they're here. i just hope when I get to interact with the authorities of other countries, it'll go just as smoothly as it generally does in the US.

[Astrid]

You are going to run into all types, good, indifferent,or worse in the USCG, just as you would in any organization that has to recruit from the human race. Believe me, in some areas of the world, the local equivalent to the CG is much, much worse.

[Adamante]

Originally Posted by Astrid

I would much rather be stopped by them in or near US waters than by some modern day equivalent of Edward Teach or Henry Morgan.

Even if he looked like this?

[John A]

To answer the OP's question I found this. International waters would be those waters not belonging to another country.

The Coast Guard has law enforcement powers within U.S. waters, which extend 200 miles from shores, and on international waters. Coast Guard authority supersedes that of the U.S. Navy in terms of law enforcement -- a Coast guard captain can halt, board and even seize any vessel without a warrant, court order or direct orders from a superior, including U.S. Navy vessels.

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by Butler

Maybe this sets this thread adrift but I can't resist.
USCG here 1971 to 1975 patroling for foreign and domestic violations of international fisheries agreements and domestic fisheries laws in support of sustainable fisheries policies, and facilitating wildlife conservation efforts as well as international diplomacy meetings during the Cold War AND most importantly saving the lives of 27 fishermen in two years of patroling the waters of Alaska throughout the Bering Sea and the gulf of Alaska and 18 mos on lake Erie where we saved the lives of at least a dozen recreational boaters.

I am sorry that in more recent years the Guard has been sadled with enforcement of a deeply flawed even misguided war on drugs and a flawed Homeland security program. There are those at all levels of the USCG who are not neccessarily happy about this recent emphasis on some enforcement components. I read somewhere just after our last presidential elections of a new regional commander who stated very piublicly that he was anxious to ensure that the USCG return it's primary focus to it's more traditional primary role of saving lives. Since then we here in SoCal have seen a definate improvement in Coastie attitudes in executing boardings.

During WWII among other things, we patrolled the coast to stop an enemy comming ashore and we drove the landing craft on D-Day, during Viet Nam we ran patrol boats in the Mekong. The history of the Guard shows an orgnization that was always asked to adjust it's mission according to the nations needs and policies (flawed or not) but then we have always in the past returned our focus to our primsary mission: saving lives.

Can this flexibility be allowed to continue? I dunno since the Guard was shifted from the Dept. of Transportation to the Dept. of Homeland Security under our last Pres. I do believe that many Coasties would like nothing better than to be more like the fire department than the police department.
Any Coasties out there who care to comment?

I loved all the missions.....more than 13 major mission ctegories when I was in...so I got to have my cake and eat it too!!!

Fire and police depts....

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by lorenzo b

And as far as "jack boot" type of remarks...........if you don't like it MOVE somewhere else because we can probably do without you!

Am I really looking at two white obese gringos waving a full beer in my face telling me to move? I grew up in NYC and I don't allow people to speak to me like that.

To most people those two fat white gringos are raising a glass to you. I didn't read you make a comment in the thread calling the CG "jack boots" here (so don't know why it pinged you), but if I missed it then yes for you we're waving it in your face and I'm not sorry about it!

[callmecrazy]

Atleast when the USCG searches your boat, they're not looking for your wallet

[dinosaur]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Atleast when the USCG searches your boat, they're not looking for your wallet

i sure hope not, or they will be sorely disappointed. unless of course they need a pay-as-you-go metro card and hamburger joint business card in texas...

[w1651]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Atleast when the USCG searches your boat, they're not looking for your wallet

Let me embellish a bit. I was boarded here in Clearwater Florida on the intercoastal.
They were very nice and even asked if I had firearms on board. They then told me that it was call that made them come and board me. The boat next to mine didn't like the fact the bilge pump went off and pumped my bilge into the water when a seacock broke and started leeking into the bilge. They then asked how much oil was in the water and I said none. To which they said they had seen the water and said it was under a gallon and they could fine me to which I said the bacteria and amoebas in the water will eat the oil and get rid of it. (Remember they said they had seen it 1/2 hour after the bilge pumped)
They then laughed and asked who told me that to which I reminded them of what the head of the Coast Guard, the President and the EPA said just that to the entire United States when the BP oil spill happened just off shore of Florida Louisianna and Alabama.
They had the ticket book out and the police and marine patrol were absolutely pissed that the Coast guard got called and not them.

Now I haven't been boarded in International waters yet but I am sure I will be because I think it's all about the money now.

[w1651]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Atleast when the USCG searches your boat, they're not looking for your wallet

Wrong !

[callmecrazy]

It's illegal to dump oil in the water (I know, tell that to BP!) whether you think ameobas will est it or not is irrelevant.

I was refering, very literally, to officials of other countries actually looking for cash handouts and bribes, as opposed to enforcing existing laws...

[w1651]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

It's illegal to dump oil in the water (I know, tell that to BP!) whether you think ameobas will est it or not is irrelevant.

I was refering, very literally, to officials of other countries actually looking for cash handouts and bribes, as opposed to enforcing existing laws...

I know I get that but it went from Sewage to oil after I reminded them I have no holing tank and the head is disconnected and cannot be used.

They were on a fishing expedition that's all.

I like the Coast Guard I really do and I know and work with them at times (though they may not know me) and I agree we need them. But to much of anything is not good.
I agree piracy is a lot better here then over seas but I just don't get how one dept of the Gov can have so much absolute authority.

[callmecrazy]

I understand where you're coming from. And agree. But the fact is, they Do have the authority, just like a police officer on the street, to invade you're space and ruin your life for a minor infraction of the written law.

The good thing about the US, and I say this from experience, is that the law works both ways. If you're inclined to take up the fight, justice usually prevails... If you don't want to fight (appropriately) you have no say in the matter.

It's a hard road to be heard in this country, but the option is there. Otherwise, duck and cover

And oh yeah, money talks...

[Astrid]

Even if he looked like this?

Well. . . .