On Wednesday, Nov. 7th, 2018, New Hampshire Marine Patrol Officers Dave Nelson and Thomas Houghton gave a presentation at the CJ Club meeting about Marine Patrol, which is a unit of the New Hampshire State Police. They talked about the duties of a Marine Patrol Officer, field operations, and the hiring process. They discussed their responsibilities which include enforcing State boating and criminal laws, responding to emergencies, and investigating boating accidents and drownings. Marine Patrol has enforcement authority on all bodies of water in New Hampshire of 10 acres or more, as well as rivers and tidal waters. The mission of Marine Patrol is to provide a safe and enjoyable experience for all people who use the State’s public waters.
The special aspect of Officers Nelson and Houghton is that they are NEC seniors working part-time for NH Marine Patrol in their senior year at NEC. This required them to pass a written examination, a physical fitness test, interview and background check. Then, they had to successfully complete the 14-week New Hampshire Part-Time Police Officer Academy training. Currently, as part-time officers, both still carry a CJ academic workload as they head to graduation in the Spring ’19. Not only will they graduate with a degree in criminal justice, but they will have a meaningful record of employment in the field. 
