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Okaloosa County Sheriff's Marine Unit readies spring enforcement, welcomes new 36-foot response boat
Summary
Sheriff's marine unit outlined 2025 enforcement plans including spring-break zero-tolerance underage-alcohol enforcement, continued partnership with FWC and Coast Guard, and a new 36-foot response vessel arriving in April to improve countywide response times.
Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit sergeant Kyle Corbett said the unit will maintain its annual enforcement focus this season, beginning a spring-break operation March 2 and running through about April 22, with zero tolerance for underage possession of alcohol.
Corbett said the sheriff's office will continue joint enforcement with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and the U.S. Coast Guard. “For us as a sheriff's office, we're gonna be just like every year business as usual,” he said, adding the county has seen fewer boating-under-the-influence incidents and fewer medical emergencies around Crab Island since liveries and the local coalition began pushing hired captains and customer education videos.
Corbett described the sheriff's current marine assets and planned additions: the unit is operating four boats (one is down for repair), will place boats on lifts throughout the county to improve response readiness, and expects a 36-foot AMBAR vessel to arrive in April. He credited county and Tourist Development Department (TDD) funding for the larger boat, saying it will “help increase our capabilities on the water.”
Corbett also offered operational context for seasonal activity: he said the spring-break operation enforces 0 tolerance for underage possession and asked liveries to remind renters that enforcement will be active. “If anybody needs a spring break list of schools that are coming, I can send that to anybody,” he told attendees, and noted the unit has had around 50–60 stops at Crab Island during a busy spring-break period in a past year.
Corbett closed by noting available on-site contacts for questions and the presence of district commander Captain Fulghum at the event.
The sheriff's office presentation provided dates and equipment details (spring-break enforcement March 2–April 22; four operational boats; arrival of a new 36-foot AMBAR in April) and emphasized ongoing partnerships and public-education efforts as the primary tools for reducing arrests and medical incidents during high-use periods.
