During the week of June 11-15, Marine Law Enforcement personnel from around the state will be learning and perfecting their drift boating skills on the Rogue River.  Students will learn to swim in whitewater, practice rescue techniques, navigate class III whitewater, and operate in remote environments from drift boats, rafts and catarafts.

Running whitewater takes training and practice, so law enforcement can respond to emergencies quickly and confidently.  “The best way to learn and get the hang of things is to just do it, with experienced instructors guiding the way, ” says Eddie Persichetti, Law Enforcement Training Coordinator for the Marine Board.  Each day the students drift various river sections, beginning with Class I rapids.  “Day one we build on focusing their attention and vision down river to see the whole run vs. the next ten feet in front of the boat,” says Persichetti.  Day two, instructors build on the skills from the day before and then progress onto more difficult skills with more difficult rapids throughout the week.  The key is to develop the skill and confidence in officers so they can help people who find themselves in a hazardous situation while keeping them all safe at the same time,” Persichetti explains.

The skills the officers gain will give them a strong foundation in their law enforcement roles when they return to their patrol area.  “We also practice scenarios where students encounter boaters and guides who are not in compliance with existing laws,” Persichetti adds.  “When the law enforcement students leave this training, they have a new respect for safety on the river, the people who run it and playing by the rules.”

Recreational boaters can expect to see law enforcement students drifting on the Upper Rogue from Lost Creek Reservoir to Touvelle Park from June 11 through June 14, and the Middle Rogue from Ennis Riffle to Argo Canyon on June 15.

For more information about boating laws and regulations, visit www.boatoregon.com.