New boat, Police RIB Dragon, launched ahead of summer operation

South Wales Police officially launched its new boat, Police RIB Dragon on Friday, July 7.

The boat will be used for a multitude of purposes from water searches, offences and anti-social behaviour committed at sea and other waterways, assisting partner agencies including the RNLI, Coastguard, fire service and Royal Navy. It will also assist with our work with the National Crime Agency to enforce breaches of maritime laws. In addition, the boat will be used during high profile events, for mutual aid and to provide reassurance along our extensive coastline.

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Travis, from South Wales Police, said:

“We are committed to working with partner agencies to tackle issues that have a detrimental effect on our communities. We cover a large coastal area here in South Wales, so the addition of Police RIB Dragon will enable us to keep the public safe on land and at sea.

“Police have a role to play – working alongside a variety of partner organisations – to help ensure that people at sea or enjoying our coasts are safe. We are also determined to deter and tackle a range of anti-social behaviour and criminality which takes place in our coastal areas. We deal with a variety of incidents from domestic violence, theft of vessels, and importation of drugs to providing security for other vessels entering waters along our coastline.”

Penarth Sea Cadets attended the event on Friday afternoon in Cardiff Bay, where officers spent time explaining how the boat will be used to keep south Wales safe, provided water safety advice and touched on some of the issues that will be focused on during our Operational Support Services summer campaign, Operation Tusker.

Lieutenant (SCC) Helen Davies RNR, Officer-in-Charge, from Penarth Sea Cadets said:

“We were delighted to attend the official launch, it was a great opportunity for the cadets to learn more about how the police boat will be used in the community, ask questions and have a tour of Police RIB Dragon.”

"The cadets were absolutely buzzing about the visit and enjoyed every minute of the experience. Even the member of staff who went on board; I think he was more excited than the cadets and was disappointed he could not take the launch out for a spin!

"I also managed to chat with parents of one of the cadets from Cardiff after the visit and he was full of praise for the visit and said his child found the whole experience amazing."

Operation Tusker aims to deliver a collaborative approach that will focus on water safety, tackling anti-social behaviour, as well as preventing and disrupting criminality across the Bristol Channel and along our coastline. Officers will be working closely with colleagues from the Harbour Authority, RNLI and the Coastguard to address these issues.

Operation Tusker, the multi-agency operation aimed at keeping coastal areas safe, will run from July until September.