Lock and load up on sunscreen

Sue Doyle

NEWPORT BEACH -- The beat with the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol

moves at a different pace than ordinary law enforcement. Deputies

confront angry sea lions instead of criminals, and overturned kayaks

substitute for car crashes.

But many deputies, such as Tom Slayton, do not regret the change for a

moment. After 10 years of patrolling the streets, Slayton was ready for a

change.

He stands behind the patrol boat’s wooden wheel like the captain of a

ship, wearing dark sunglasses, a baseball cap and lots of sunscreen.

People wave from their boats as he passes them by and sometimes shout a

friendly hello.

“It’s more rewarding to help people than arrest them,” Slayton said.

But people aren’t always the problem for the deputies, who often have to

wrangle with sea mammals. Sometimes a baby whale or dolphin enters the

harbor to explore and causes all kinds of commotion.

The animals typically find a way out after they’ve satisfied their

curiosity, Slayton said.

Other times, a wayward sea lion will try to make a home in someone’s

boat. Many sea lions learned about the cozy places during El Nino storms

and decided to move in. They’ve never stopped trying.

But many laws protect the sea lions, and deputies and private residents

can’t legally shoo them away. Boat owners take a proactive approach and

put up cables or barriers to prevent the animals from camping out.

“It’s a battle between the boat owners and the sea lions out here,”

Slayton said.

Weather -- especially wind -- poses another problem for the deputies. At

times, sailboats become loose and are flung across the bay, hitting

everything in their path.

“The sailboats are like pinballs and do damage wherever they go,” Slayton

said.

The beat’s pace slows down during the week, but authorities see more

action on the weekends, when people are out enjoying their boats.

Slayton said the harbor has the ultimate neighborhood watch program.

People up and down the coastline will inform deputies about speeders and

everything else.

“People have a vested interest in the area,” Slayton said. “If there’s a

speeder, we’ll hear about it.”