Polk County Sheriff’s Office ending Marine Patrol program due to funding cuts

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Polk County Sheriff’s Office ended its seasonal Marine Patrol program on Monday, according to a Facebook post.

According to the post, Sheriff Mark Garton was forced to end the program due to a recent reduction in funding.

As KOIN 6 News has previously reported, the Oregon State Marine Board was forced to cut its budget by 30% after a rule change left it ineligible for a federal grant.

Since 1971, that money has come from the Department of Homeland Security for marine law enforcement and education. But as of this year, Oregon is no longer a candidate to receive the grant due to its sanctuary city status.

Boaters on the Willamette will still see a law enforcement presence, just from another agency.

Sheriff Garton told KOIN 6 News in an email that services have just shifted to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

Marion County, which is across the river from Polk County, has a year-round marine patrol program and they have already received funding to cover the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Garton said that the process for reporting boating issues or concerns hasn’t changed. Both agencies will continue working through the same dispatch center.

As for search and rescue operations, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office will continue managing operations for the section of the Willamette River in Polk County.