TV3 News website
Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:32p.m.
Boating baddies beware, the Police have just unveiled a new high speed, high-tech police boat – the Deodar III.
The vessel will be ready to start service on the Hauraki Gulf in mid December, after it finishes sea trials in the area.
The catamaran cost $2.8 million and is equipped with Hamilton jet-engines that can propel the vessel to 30 knots.
With it’s wealth of high-tech monitoring equipment, the vessel will expand sea-borne policing and search and rescue work to include customs duties.
Auckland’s first police launch was named Deodar, in honour of the warship a former police minister served.
It was commissioned in the 1960s and served until sinking in 1989 after being rammed by another ship.
Deodar II was launched in 1992 and had a long and luckier career on the Hauraki Gulf. It is hoped that Deodar III will keep the tradition alive.