Federal Grant-Funded Vessel Expands Marine Safety Capabilities on Great South Bay Ahead of Fourth of July Weekend
The Town of Babylon recently held a dedication ceremony at Tanner Park Marina to officially name its new 31-foot Harbor Patrol Safeboat The Richard L. Brooks, honoring the memory of a Bay Constable and retired NYPD Lieutenant who was shot and killed in the line of duty in 2004 while serving the Town.
The ceremony was attended by Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Public Safety Commissioner Jerry Gigante, Harbor Master Artie Smith, Sylvia Brooks — widow of Richard L. Brooks — the Brooks family, Suffolk County Legislator Tom Donnelly, Suffolk County Legislature Minority Leader Jason Richberg, Amityville Village Mayor Michael O’Neill, representatives from the office of Assemblyman Kwani B. O’Pharrow, and the Town’s Bay Constables.
Richard Brooks’ son, Richard Jr., expressed gratitude on behalf of the family. “My dad loved the Town of Babylon, loved being on the water — he said being a Bay Constable was his retirement job, and he did it for fun. With this boat, his memory stays alive, and that’s really all we can ask for.”
The vessel was made possible through a U.S. Department of Homeland Security port security grant. The boat’s total cost was approximately $777,000, with the Town securing $588,000 — roughly 80% — in federal funding. Commissioner Gigante noted that the grant was awarded on the Town’s second application after the team refined and resubmitted following an initial rejection.
“You could get a rejection and walk away from it, but Jerry and his team stood fast,” said Supervisor Schaffer. “Getting it on the second try is considered a significant achievement — it takes many municipalities years to secure this type of funding.”
- Emergency medical transport capability for stretcher patients via a hydraulic drop-down bow
- All-weather and offshore operation
- Thermal imaging and radiation detection technology
- First aid and emergency response equipment
- 12-person capacity
- Highly maneuverable design suited for tight-quarters operations
Commissioner Gigante emphasized the critical role the vessel will play in multi-agency water rescues. “On the water, resources are thin. When there’s a missing person, an overturned boat, or an emergency, every municipality out there works together — and now we can fully participate in those rescues.”
The Town also announced the recent receipt of a rescue gator, which will operate on Town beaches and provide stretcher transport capability for beachside emergencies.
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