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OCP photo/Sgt. Mike Fillips, head of the Oceana County Sheriff’s Office marine division, on the new patrol boat.
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
GOLDEN TOWNSHIP — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office unveiled its new patrol boat with a dedication ceremony Monday, May 18, at the Silver Lake State Park Campground boat launch just as the busy summer boating season begins.
The United States Department of Agriculture provided a $50,000 grant to help purchase the 21-foot $250,000 vessel, which is a 2025 Ocean Craft rigid hull inflatable that is powered by a Mercury four-stroke 200 horsepower outboard motor. It is equipped with a Garmin GMR Fantom 18x radar; a Garmin 8612xsv multifunction display, side-scan sonar and 800 mhz communications.
OCP photo
Several local donors also contributed to the purchase of the boat, including the Ferwerda family, the Peterson family, Richard Raffaeli, the Olsen family and the Lathers trust, said Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast. “Without any one of these families’ involvement, this project would not have come together,” said Sheriff Mast. “When we have good people come together, great things can happen in our small community.” He thanked the donors, some of whom were in attendance.
“We’re going to have it stationed here in Silver Lake, but it is absolutely suitable for Lake Michigan to help with search and rescue,” said the sheriff. “This is a big project, and we’ve been working on this for years.”
OCP photo/Marine deputies Brooklyn Carter and Colton Ferski and Sgt. Mike Fillips bow their heads in prayer during a blessing of the boat led by Bill Ryder.
“This investment reflects President Trump’s unwavering support for our law enforcement,” said USDA Rural Development Michigan State Director Dom Restuccia. “I think it’s fitting that we are here today following on the heels of police week last week to demonstrate that our support of law enforcement is not just words, but action.”
“I can’t say enough about working with the sheriff’s department,” said Oceana Community Foundation CEO Tammy Carey. “We have worked together on a number of projects, and I don’t want to say it’s easy to raise money for them, but it’s kind of easy to raise money for them, because they do such a great job serving Oceana County. I am so pleased to be able to connect donors to the sheriff’s department to assist them on all the great ideas that they have to serve Oceana County. I really appreciate the donors.”
OCP photo/Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast.
“Undersheriff (Ryan) Schiller was instrumental in this,” said Sheriff Mast. He also thanked Lt. Scott Bosley for promoting and building community relationships, which were key in gaining donations.
Sgt. Mike Fillips, head of the marine division, introduced his new marine deputies Brooklyn Carter and Colton Ferski. “This asset for the marine division is far exceeding anything that we’ve had before,” said Fillips. “I just want to say thank you to Deputy Tim Simon, who was the catalyst of starting all of this. I am reaping the benefits of having a brand-new vessel, but he is the one who did all the work.” Deputy Simon was head of the marine division for 19 years before starting the position of school resource officer at Shelby Public Schools.
OCP photo/Sgt. Mike Fillips, head of the Oceana County Sheriff’s marine division, addresses the audience. Sheriff Craig Mast is pictured at left.
“This vessel handles a lot better,” said Sgt. Fillips. ‘The main thing is that it’s a lot bigger and a lot higher up.” Its predecessor was 16-feet-long. “This boat is going to take anything that Silver Lake throws at it.” It also easily handles Lake Michigan’s powerful waves, he said. “We had three footers out there, and this boat handled those like a dream.”
The new boat is the fourth vessel added to the marine division fleet, said Fillips. “We have the Pentwater boat, which goes out into Lake Michigan; one dedicated to Silver Lake; a normal county-wide boat; and then a backup county-wide boat.”
OCP photo/The Rev. Bill Ryder leads a prayer during the boat dedication.
“This project has a lot of history,” said Deputy Simon. He said back in 2020 he and Sheriff Mast decided it was time for a new patrol boat for the busiest lake in the county. “The one we had was starting to get very worn out; it was too small; and we were getting busier and busier on the dunes side of the lake on our weekend days. We went out on the road together that day, and I think it was a two-and-a-half hour afternoon, and we managed to get a verbal confirmation of $145,000.
“Thank you for being here as we dedicate this beautiful patrol boat today for Silver Lake and Oceana County,” said Deputy Simon. “We celebrate another important investment in the safety, stewardship and future of Silver Lake and Oceana County. Today is about more than a boat — it’s about responsibility and protecting the people who come here to enjoy one of Michigan’s most treasured destinations; supporting first responders and officers who serve on these
OCP photo/Deputy Tim Simon, who was head of the sheriff’s office marine division for 19 years, speaks to the audience.
waters; and supporting the unique character of Silver Lake for generations to come. Each year families, anglers, paddlers, boaters and visitors from across the country gather here to experience the beauty of this lake and the surrounding dunes. With that growing popularity comes a growing need for preparedness, visibility and rapid response on the water. The new patrol boat represents our commitment and the community’s commitment to meeting that need. This vessel will strengthen emergency response times and capabilities; improve boater safety enforcement; and assist during search and rescue operations if the need should arise.”
OCP photo
“We pray especially for the officers, the first responders, the crew members who will operate this boat,” said the Rev. Bill Ryder during a boat blessing. “Grant them wisdom in difficult moments; grant them calmness in emergencies; grant them unity as they work together; protect them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually as they serve the public. When the waters become rough, give them steadiness.”
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