LA Co Sheriff's Deputies Guarding Cargo Ships Near Ports of LA, Long Beach

A little-known unit within the LA County Sheriff’s Department has added a new route to their regular patrols, the Foxtrot Anchorage Point near the ports of LA and Long Beach. The department’s Sergeant Eric Fox says the Foxtrot Anchorage Point is the staging area where container and oil ships wait for their turn to unload.

Fox says the unusual high number of ships waiting to dock has added to their normal marine patrols. Fox is a member of the department’s Special Enforcement Bureau which encompasses SWAT, Emergency Services Detail, Marine Cadre Unit and Fox’s team, Hazmat.

I was invited recently to ride along to see how the Marine Cadre Unit, the SWAT Unit and the Hazmat team do their regular patrols. Fox tells me the boat I’m on is equipped with highly sensitive radiation scanning gear and can detect multiple forms of illicit radiation. They also scan cruise ships, tourist and fishing boats. Fox says the LA and Long Beach port areas are known for criminal activity.

I switch from the Hazmat boat to a SWAT boat for a different perspective. These teams specialize in rescue and enforcement operations.

At one point I’m taken up close to one of the ships at anchor, the MSC Danit. Look familiar? It’s the ship that the US Coast says is under investigation for its possible involvement in that recent oil spill off the coast of Orange County. Officials have said the MSC Danit is a party of interest and had been one of the only ships within the distance of the pipeline back in January.

Sergeant Kamal Ahmad tells me the marine unit’s SWAT and ESD (Emergency Services Detail) teams train constantly to stay at top form. They work rescues, enforcement and public safety.

Check out my audio feature and some video I shot, and some drone footage shot by my colleague at CBS2/KCAL9.