Maui Police Use ATVs to Patrol Beaches

Maui Police are using all-terrain vehicles to patrol some of the Islands beaches and other remote areas. Officers use them not only as crime prevention tools, but to assist the public.

According to the Maui News a special operation was carried out during spring break. Maui News quotes Capt. Jeffrey Tanoue, commander of the Kihei Patrol District as saying:

"ATVs allow officers to reach areas that normal police vehicles are unable to access... Although we are limited in resources, we have increased ATV patrols and will continue efforts to monitor and enforce criminal activities at beaches and parks in the South Maui areas."

The ATVs have also been used to transport injured persons to more accessible areas for medical attention and to check on the welfare of residents after serious storms.

We first saw them patrolling Maalaea Beach, between Kihei and Maalaea Harbor. It looked like a good fit to us. Along this beach are some pretty remote areas. It was frankly comforting to know the beach was being patrolled from time to time.

We've also got to say that the officers looked like they were having a pretty good time doing their job.