- Police with jet skis in action - 10 rasers stopped
Partygoers and revellers on party boats - the Berlin Water Police have discovered several violations during a focused operation. Ten hobby captains were driving too fast and several boat operators did not have the required license, as the police reported. 22 sports boats were checked within eleven hours on Sunday.
A photo on WhatsApp shows a policeman on a jet ski on a canal in Berlin. Together with colleagues on two boats, he was on patrol to monitor the activity on the water. Assistance was needed once due to a ship accident, as the police reported.
Police: More noise and speed violations
The Water Police report an increase in noise disturbances and speed violations on the waters, leading to increasing conflicts with residents, recreational sportspeople, or those seeking relaxation. With intensified controls during the watersports season, which officially runs from April 1st to October 31st, the police aim to ensure safety on the Berlin waters.
The German Life-Saving Association (DLRG) has been called to 760 rescue operations on Berlin waters so far this year. The Berlin Fire Department has been alerted 45 times. However, it cannot be confirmed if a person was actually in the water in all reported cases.
Last year, the Berlin Water Police conducted 4,128 controls and inspected 8,188 sports boats. In total, 885 administrative offenses were registered in 2023, with the majority occurring between April and October. 807 of these were related to maritime violations, and 71 were noise violations. Additionally, the police filed 337 criminal charges.
The police officer on the jet ski was part of the team patrolling to prevent violations on the canals, as mentioned in the report. The Berlin Water Police highlighted the necessity of intensified controls to address the rise in noise and speed violations during the watersports season.
