GAINESVILLE, Ga. — The Hall County Sheriff’s Office will begin its 2026 lake patrols on Lake Lanier this weekend with the addition of a new patrol boat aimed at improving safety and response capabilities.
Patrols are set to start Friday, May 1, marking the beginning of the summer boating season. The agency will have two vessels available, including a newly acquired 29-foot cabin rigid inflatable boat purchased last year.
The sheriff’s office used $280,000 in asset forfeiture funds to buy the vessel, which was obtained from Fluid Marine in North Carolina. The boat is powered by twin Mercury Marine 225 engines and equipped with Raymarine electronics and FLIR thermal imaging technology…