Metal Shark Building Law Enforcement Vessels
Shipbuilder Metal Shark, Jeanerette, La., reports it is enjoying increased popularity among law enforcement agencies, with 20 new law enforcement customers recently added and more than 35 welded aluminum law enforcement vessels either recently delivered or currently in production.
Among its many new builds, Metal Shark is producing five custom 23-foot Relentless center-console patrol boats for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, while continuing to deliver 26- and 28-foot Relentless center-console vessels for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the nation’s largest conservation law enforcement agency.
“With our in-house team of over 60 engineers and naval architects, and nearly 2,000 total vessels delivered to date, we offer law enforcement agencies a wide range of proven hulls and unmatched design expertise,” said Dean Jones, Metal Shark’s vice president of sales for law enforcement, fire, and specialty markets. “Carefully considering the challenges of modern law enforcement missions, we have developed a full portfolio of next-generation patrol boats, each based on a globally proven hull design and specifically outfitted to provide greater comfort, efficiency, and safety to law enforcement officers.”
“These are purpose-built, professional-grade law enforcement vessels with many mission-specific features that really set them apart,” said John Hotz, Metal Shark’s senior account manager specializing in law enforcement sales. “We integrate weather-tight compartments with 12-volt USB outlets into consoles for laptops and printers, we employ non-reflective blackout matte coatings that eliminate glare to improve low-light visibility, and we provide easily accessible, lockable dry storage compartments adequately sized to fit Pelican cases. Through numerous enhancements, these vessels have been mission-optimized to an extent not seen on the industry’s legacy patrol boat designs. The result is a boat that is more comfortable, practical, and safer to use during long hours spent policing our nation’s often crowded inland waterways.”
Recent Metal Shark law enforcement customers include the Broward, Fla., Sheriff’s Office; Delaware Department of Natural Resources; Fairfax County, Va., Police Department; Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission; Houston Police Department; Jefferson County, Ky., Sheriff; Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries; Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Onondaga County, N.Y., Sheriff’s Office; Port of San Diego Environment; Punta Gorda, Fla., Police & Fire; San Juan, Puerto Rico Police; Travis County, Texas, Sheriff; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Ky.; U.S. Fish & Wildlife; Virginia Beach Police Department; Washington, D.C., Metro Police; Winthrop, Mass., Harbormaster Department; and Bahamas National Trust.
“Metal Shark is gaining customers in this competitive, brand-loyal market by leveraging our formidable engineering strength to create the industry’s most modern law-enforcement-specific model lineup,” said Metal Shark CEO Chris Allard. “We achieve further differentiation thanks to serialized manufacturing processes that can produce high quality vessels rapidly, reliably and repeatedly, supported by a stock boats program which can reduce lead times to 30 days or less in some cases. We will continue to support our law enforcement customers and other first responders with the industry’s most modern designs and outstanding customer service.”
Caption for photo: A Metal Shark 23 Relentless patrol boat, part of a five-boat fleet soon to be delivered to Ohio Department of Natural Resources. (Photo courtesy of Metal Shark)A Metal Shark 23 Relentless patrol boat, part of a five-boat fleet soon to be delivered to Ohio Department of Natural Resources. (Photo courtesy of Metal Shark)
