Baltimore – Capt. Mark O’Malley, the commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Baltimore, and Col. James Teare Sr., the chief of police for the Anne Arundel County Police Department, formalized a partnership at a signing ceremony Thursday at Coast Guard Station Annapolis, Md.
The parties signed a memorandum of agreement, which will set the framework and procedures for the relationship between Sector Baltimore and Anne Arundel County on behalf of the Anne Arundel Police Department and its new marine unit.
The agreement defines the relationship in the conduct of recreational boating safety programs, including the mutual enforcement of laws relating to boating safety on waters within the same jurisdiction of the Captain of the Port of Baltimore. The agreement also assists the agencies in exchanging relevant information on law enforcement, boating safety and search and rescue incidents to enhance mission success for each organization. The agreement will stand for three years after the effective date.
The Coast Guard will provide boating safety training for Anne Arundel County and Coast Guard units in a classroom setting as well as on the water. This will allow the agencies to share each other’s procedures when conducting operations.
“Due to the amount of operations that exist in the area, it is essential to work and train with our local partners to enhance the security of the port of Baltimore,” said Lt. Cmdr. Patricia Mitrowski, the chief of response for Sector Baltimore. “Through the cooperative enforcement of security zones, as per the Port and Waterway Act, we can better serve the community together.”
