Gallatin, Tennessee, police set up boat team

GALLATIN, Tenn. (WKRN) – The Gallatin Police Department has launched a new boat crew just in time for the busy Fourth of July weekend.

The patrol force – currently six officers in total – will monitor a small, busy section of Old Hickory Lake, starting at the ramps at Bull Creek or Station Camp Creek. From reminding people of the rules on the water to issuing BUIs to helping those in need, the team will maintain an active presence on Old Hickory Lake for the rest of the summer, but most of all they want to make their presence known.

“This is a part of the community that we don’t often get to see when we’re patrolling the streets,” explained Gallatin Police Lt. Jake Myers. “Out here on the water, this is still a part of our community, but we’re coming into contact with people that we don’t normally come into contact with, and this is a way for us to be seen, to see the police out here, we’re trying to keep the waterways safe.”

Myers said Gallatin’s boat team will have a flexible, unfixed schedule on the water. He hopes that in time the department will be able to find a place to dock their boat to expedite any potential rescue efforts.

“We’re used to laws when it comes to policing the city, but here on the lake it’s a whole different story,” Myers said. “So far, it seems like the community likes us being here. We love being here with our community and just being seen. We’re just another way to be seen and let them know we’re here for them.”