Sea Ray Boats gives Sheriff's Office New `Crusier'

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The latest "cruiser'' in the Blount County Sheriff's Office vehicle fleet was donated by Sea Ray Boats, a gift valued around $50,000.
The title for the sleek 2005 model 200 Sundeck was presented to Blount County Sheriff James Berrong Wednesday by Sea Ray Sales Manager Robin Brendle during a dedication ceremony at Sea Ray's Vonore plant on the shore of Tellico Lake.
Sea Ray donated a Laguna model to the Blount County Sheriff's Office in the early 1990s. It has been used regularly for patrol on the county's waterways and was taken in last fall to be refurbished and ready for use this summer.
According to Berrong, Sea Ray's management decided to go a step further and donate a new boat rather than refurbish the old one. The boat itself was no problem since Sea Ray builds them every day, but the sheriff's patrol boat needed special equipment such as a light bar similar to those used on regular patrol cars, a siren and a communications system compatible with local law enforcement radios.
Extreme Marine donated and installed the metal tower and wired the lights and siren provided by the sheriff's office. Great Lakes Boat Top Co. provided the canopy to shield deputies from the sun as well as the cockpit cover to protect the craft when it is not in use. The sheriff's office also provided the decals that mark the boat as a law enforcement vehicle.
It took several months to put the package together but deputies who are assigned to water patrol agree it was worth the wait.
The new boat is worth about $35,000 and Berrong said the additional equipment brings the value of the vessel to around $50,000.
Berrong called it ``an extremely generous donation'', noting that portions of several lakes including Tellico, Chilhowee, Calderwood and Fort Loudoun lie within the jurisdiction of the Blount County Sheriff's Office.