Free Republic

Friday, December 17, 2004 Racheting up its firepower, the sheriff's office is getting a 30-foot boat with mounted machine guns for homeland-security patrols at the Port of Palm Beach and offshore. Mounted machine guns are a first for the sheriff's office, although sub-machine guns are assigned to some deputies in specialized units. The $163,735 cost of the boat and equipment is being paid for by a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which is helping to finance security increases at several Florida ports.