Croton Police Make Water Rescue

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New Croton-on-Hudson boat patrol makes its first rescue

By ROBERT MARCHANT AND SEAN GORMAN

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: August 1, 2006)

CROTON-ON-HUDSON — The village's new boat patrol made its first rescue this week.

Sgt. Michael Nolte and Officer Daria Murtagh were patrolling the Croton River at 2:27 p.m. Sunday when they spotted Pablo Avaril, a 22-year-old Ossining resident who was trying to swim from the Cortlandt side of the river to the Croton side, said Lt. Anthony Tramaglini.

Avaril went under the water and came back up just south of Fireman Island, Nolte said yesterday. He went down a second time, and police knew something was wrong.

"At that point we knew he was in trouble," Nolte said. "He was in distress ... just (an) unbelievable stroke of luck that we just happened to be there."

Avaril returned to the surface spitting water and screaming, Nolte said. The sergeant got into the river and put a flotation device around Avaril, who was eventually brought on board the boat.

Avaril, who could not immediately be reached for comment yesterday, refused medical attention and was brought back to the Cortlandt side of the river where he said he had been having a picnic with his family, Tramaglini said.

"(Avaril) told them he was trying to swim across (the river), and when he became tired, he said he was unable to get across," Tramaglini said.

The boat, which has been on patrol for about a week, is cruising the river to deter crime and to provide any assistance that's necessary, Tramaglini said.

The village bought the boat with a $10,000 contribution from the Town of Cortlandt to crack down on littering, trespassing, illegal fires and unruly behavior that has flared up on the banks of the river this year. Croton paid the remaining $8,000 of the craft's $18,000 total cost.

The 17-foot-long motorboat can patrol the Croton River from its confluence with the Hudson River to a tidal pool about a mile upriver. Obstructions and rapids prevent boat traffic after that.

Trustee Charles Kane said increased police patrols have apparently had an effect already, with fewer reports of litter and trespass.

"There's been a dramatic drop," said Kane, who is overseeing a task force of residents and officials working to improve conditions along the river. "The police presence is a major deterrent."

Mayor Greg Schmidt said the river was an important part of the village's environmental and recreational resources.

"It's important we maintain it. It's a nice place to go," Schmidt said.

Kenneth Sargeant, a Croton resident who is working on the committee charged with oversight of the river, said the extra police presence was a benefit. He said a rash of graffiti on the banks of the river this summer "signified that things had gotten out of hand."

A canoeist who enjoys outings on the river, Sargeant said it was encouraging to see more law enforcement and environmental attention being paid to the waterway.

"I think it's a good thing," he said. "It's getting the necessary scrutiny it deserves. Hopefully, it's headed in the right direction."

Village authorities are pursuing a plan that would allow Croton police to patrol the opposite shore of the river within the jurisdiction of the Town of Cortlandt.

Kudos to the CPD on another good job!!!!

It's just too bad the CFD powers FAILED to give ANY credit to the guys that pulled a man out of a house fire in April. Perhaps now they can take a cue from the CPD bosses on how to give credit where credit is due.

Edited August 5, 2006 by Remember585