Shelby Township

Sheriff's Office takes to the river with kayak patrols

By Kristyne E. Demske
C & G Staff Writer

Photo by Deb Jacques The Macomb County Sheriff’s Marine Division purchased the kayaks to help patrol the waterways and to encourage recreational use of the river.

SHELBY TOWNSHIP — The water sparkled under a clear blue sky, gently lapping up to the sandy banks as the bright yellow kayaks slid gracefully into the water.

The primary colors of the boats and their paddles cut silently through the river, as a half-dozen craft traveled underneath the Avon Road bridge, around an outcropping of river rocks, and onward for a peaceful trip into Macomb County.

Although it could have been an idyllic summer scene unfolding anywhere along the Clinton River on any given weekend, the paddlers were not recreational waterway users — they were members of the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Marine Division and the sheriff himself, Mark Hackel.

The officers were ensconced in six new kayaks made especially to aid in river rescue, with pontoon fronts that can be angled with a lever to stabilize the boat and a handle that pops up to allow officers to stand up in the kayaks to aid in a rescue. Typical sporting kayaks are smaller and aren’t as buoyant or stable.

Sgt. Gary Wiegand of the Marine Division said there are a lot of county residents taking to the waterways these days — fishing, canoeing and kayaking — and they want to make sure the river users are safe.

“It’s kind of like a hidden jewel of Macomb County,” he said of the river before launching the boats for the first time Aug. 26.

He said the officers of the Marine Division have all been specially trained in ice and water rescue and water survival techniques, all of which can be applied to kayaking the river.

Hackel said the kayaks were purchased for $1,000 each, with the cost split between funds raised by the Marine Division and forfeiture funds collected by the Sheriff’s Office.

“Not one penny was tax dollars,” he said.

How often they’ll have officers out patrolling will depend on the level of activity they observe utilizing the “blue water trail,” as Hackel is calling the river. But he likened it to the expansion of the Macomb Orchard Trail and other bike paths in the community — before residents take advantage of it, they want to know if it is safe to use.

“Eventually, when we put out brochures” encouraging the use of the river for recreation, “we’ve already done the work ahead of time,” he said. “We’re trying to draw people in.”

Undersheriff Kent Lagerquist said that they’ll assign patrols to the river much like they do to bike paths — by watching the weather and keeping an ear out for major activities and events. But he said it’s definitely a natural feature residents should take advantage of.

“It’s changed so much over the years. It’s very pretty,” Lagerquist said. “You could be Up North.”

Gerry Santoro, an environmental planner with the Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development, said developing the Clinton River for recreation is a long-term vision.

“(We want) to provide a great source for recreation for residents and visitors, as well as create a better quality of life,” he said. “We also hope that … local businesses will look into trying to support the river sports and ancillary services.”

Santoro said it only takes getting out on the river one time to appreciate what a gem it is.

“It’s all about education and exposure,” he said.

Hackel said he’s in the process of looking into grants and funding they can tap into to pay for debris cleanup along the river in Macomb County, starting at its farthest west point in Shelby Township and running all the way into Lake St. Clair. Officers will also be scouting out the river banks during patrols to determine good access points from land for emergency aid to be deployed.

“It’s going to be a long process and a lot of work,” he said. “I don’t want to wait for it to clear out before we get an understanding of what that river is about.”

He said the officers, along with patrolling the area, will be identifying those areas of the Clinton River that need to be cleared of logjams or debris, and also are “going to have a good understanding of that river … how it twists and turns.”

“We want people to enjoy it, but we want to make sure we’re out there keeping it a safe environment.”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Kristyne E. Demske at kdemske@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1041.