VA NCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Vancouver Police are hoping to give their Marine Unit a boost with a new patrol boat. The 9.5 meter rigid-hull inflatable vessel will be the third in its fleet.

Police use it to investigate marine criminal activity, port security, and monitor recreational boating safety.

An SFU Security Expert Andre Gerolymatos thinks it’s a good idea to add another boat as he says it’ll help prevent terrorism and smuggling.
    
“We don’t have that much security to begin with.  We have quite a long shoreline and a great deal to protect not only terrorism and smuggling, but of course safety,” says Gerolymatos.
    
“Right now I think the biggest problem is smuggling, especially drug smuggling, and that’s where the police are putting more emphasis.  I think the extra boat will help that but at the same time, keep us a little more safe with respect to Terrorism.”

He says drugs flow in and out of our city by sea more often than one would think.

“I’m sure it’s happening on a daily basis.  BC’s one of the largest marijuana regions in North America, and that marijuana is exchanged for things like cocaine and weapons….we can guess on a daily basis quite a bit of drug exchange,” he says.

Although, Vancouver has never been targeted by terrorists, he says staying alert is critical.

“We’re still on the list of nations to be attacked by terrorists…the potential is there and it’s the kind of thing where you don’t think about it on a daily basis. We only think about it happening in Europe or the United States. But we have to remain prepared and vigilant,” explains Gerolymatos.

The new boat proposal will be reviewed at a police board meeting today.