Operation Dry Water in effect July 4-6 in Oakland County, Michigan
With the Fourth of July holiday weekend approaching, law enforcement in Oakland County, Michigan, and across the state are stepping up patrols on the lakes.
"We're looking for people doing reckless things, making poor choices and trying to prevent those accidents," said Oakland County Sheriff's Office Lieutenant Brian Burwell.
With nearly 450 lakes in Oakland County, the most of any county in Michigan, deputies are out in full force this summer, especially the July 4th weekend. It's called Operation Dry Water, a nationwide campaign that started in 2009 to crack down on boating while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The campaign kicks off July 4-6.
In 2024 alone, 584 people were arrested nationwide, with more than 43,000 citations issued.
"When we do encounter people, we try to educate them on the law. Some people are going to get tickets, some might end up getting arrested, but always we're trying to educate people on safe behavior," Burwell said.
Since these efforts began, Burwell says there has been a noticeable difference in people making smarter decisions when on the water. He says oftentimes, when pulled over, people are misinformed.
"We've had one recently where the gentleman is driving a jet ski, had never been on one before. He goes full speed through a swim area. But we stopped him. He had no idea what he was doing was wrong because he was misinformed. He doesn't understand what the laws are," Burwell said.
Education is a big component of the campaign. However, while having fun is a must when on the water, deputies will be on the lookout.
"We want to raise that awareness to wear your lifejackets, have access to lifejackets, safety equipment, throwable devices, making sure not only do you have those but they're properly sized, properly fit, people understand how to put them on. You always have people say, 'Oh, they're trying to meet their quota in tickets.' It's about keeping people safe," said Burwell.
Burwell also encourages people to keep an eye on their surroundings, only swim in designated areas, always make sure there's fuel in your boat, and sign up for a boater's safety course at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
