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River Patrol

Search and Rescue

River Patrol
Lieutenant Brett Elliott

• Columbia River Office
  4325 NE Marine Drive
  503-988-6788
• Chinook Landing Office
  22300 NE Marine Drive
  503-666-6616
  (only staffed during the summer season)
• Willamette River Office
  2200 NW Front Avenue
  503-243-7952

Waterway safety tips for a fun summer on the river

Our Boat Dock is Under Construction. For an questions regarding boat lane closures or other boat-related issues, please contact us.

View pictures of the construction project HERE

The MCSO River Patrol Unit was formed in the spring of 1960 to help decrease the high number of thefts from boats and marinas, as well as provide assistance in search and rescue operations.
From it’s beginning, the Multnomah County River Patrol has grown to become the largest marine enforcement unit in Oregon.
The MCSO River Patrol Unit provides a variety of services to the community, including: law enforcement and boat safety inspections, emergency medical and boater assistance, boating and water safety and education,and locating submerged persons and vehicles with the aid of our side scan sonar. When this fails, we rely on our Dive Rescue and Recovery Team. We also are responsible for the removal of hazardous materials,escorting tugs through busy waterways and firefighting on almost 100 miles of river on the Willamette, Columbia and Sandy Rivers.
We also work with the Department of Homeland Security to conduct checks of our critical infrastructures along the waterways.
When conducting boat safety checks at marinas, we also look for other safety concerns such as these electrical hazards. We refer these problems to local code enforcement officers. This stems from a 1999 incident in which a young boy was electrocuted while swimming along a dock.
Approximately 70 percent of the unit’s budget comes from the Multnomah County general fund. The remaining amount is contract money provided by the Oregon State Marine Board. Each year the unit ranks among the top marine enforcement crews in the state for Boating Under the Influence (BUII) arrests.
The unit currently has a year-round staff of one lieutenant, one sergeant, eight deputies, and a full-time mechanic. During the summer months, staffing increases to 16 deputies. The unit is enhanced by the use of reserve deputies who help patrol the Multnomah Channel and special events on Portland’s waterfront during the summer boating season. The unit currently operates a total of 13 boats. The patrol boats range from 32-foot, 12 ½ foot wide twin screw hardtop cabin cruisers to PWCs (Personal Watercraft).

Is Your Boat Or Marina on Unsafe Ground? Electric Shock Drowning

How Can I Contact the River Patrol Offices?
For Emergencies: Call 911
Non-Emergencies: Call 503-823-3333
For Business Matters and Questions:
Columbia River Patrol Office 503-988-6788
Fax- 503-988-4099
Willamette River Patrol Office 503-243-7952
Fax- 503-243-7953

For Mailing Purposes:
Address all mail to:
Columbia River Patrol Office at 4325 NE Marine Drive, Portland, OR 97218

Where We Are Located:
The River Patrol Unit maintains three offices. The Willamette and Columbia Offices are staffed year-round.

• Columbia River Office: Located at 4325 NE Marine Drive adjacent to the Gleason Boat Ramp, just east of North Portland Harbor.
• Chinook Landing Office (only staffed during the summer season): Located at 22300 NE Marine Drive in Fairview, just off Marine Drive along the Columbia River.
• Willamette River Office: Located at 2200 NW Front Avenue about ½ mile north of the Fremont Bridge.
  

To Request a Boat Hull Identification Inspection (HIN)
Telephone the desired river patrol office to schedule an appointment. It’s best to call between 7:30- 8:30 A.M.
The Oregon State Marine Board requires all newly registered vessels to have a HIN inspection conducted by a law enforcement officer. This physical examination process assists in keeping a low boat theft rate.

Our Patrol Area:
Approximately 190,000 boats are registered in Oregon with one-third of these registered in the Portland-metropolitan area. Multnomah County is the number one ranked Oregon County for total boat use days and boat activity days (85% more than the next ranked county) and provides the most fishing, sailing, and cruising activities. Year after year the Columbia and Willamette Rivers rank as the most used bodies of water in the state, making Portland the number one overall destination for boating in Oregon. PHOTOS

How Can I Get Involved?
The MCSO River Patrol encourages citizens to have pro-active involvement with their rivers and waterways. Citizen involvement is crucial in this process. Citizens help identify the time windows in which the problem is occurring, specific problem boats and histories behind the problem and what has been done in the past. Through this information deputies are better able to develop a strategy to address it. Please contact our volunteer coordinator.

Department of State Lands