Captain Deana Bergquist, who also holds the title of Harbormaster, and Lieutenant Erin Giudice as the Assistant Harbormaster, oversee the daily operations of the Harbor Patrol Division. The Station Commanders for the outlying harbors are Sergeant Fritz Von Rettberg at Sunset/Huntington Harbour and Sergeant John Whitman at Dana Point Harbor. The division provides law-enforcement, marine fire-fighting, open-water rescue, and vessel assistance for the three Orange County harbors of Sunset/Huntington Harbour, Newport Harbor, and Dana Point, as well as 48 miles of Orange County coastline. In addition to these functions, the deputies assigned to the Harbor Patrol Division are trained in environmental law and are qualified as "first-responders" to hazardous material spills.
After 9/11, in response to increased concerns for homeland security, Deputies are on heightened alert to any possibility of terrorist activity. The Harbor Patrol is training with local and federal government agencies and sharing information for the detection and prevention of suspected acts of terrorism.
The Sheriff's Harbor Patrol Division continues to set the standards in training, equipment and service by which harbor patrol operations are measured throughout the State of California. Harbor Patrol deputies are fully trained peace officers and have typically worked street patrol and other assignments prior to their selection for the Harbor Patrol Division. New Harbor Patrol deputies receive nearly 480 hours of additional training in navigation, marine fire-fighting, heavy weather rescue boat operations, boat-handling, and advanced first aid, including the administering of oxygen and the use of automated external defibrillators.
Deputies in the Harbor Patrol Division practice a "service-oriented" approach to their duties, and routinely participate in community events and activities in the harbors. Some of these activities include boating education classes for youth and adults, tours, safety inspections, and wildlife rescues.
The Newport Beach Harbor Patrol office serves as the headquarters for the Harbor Patrol division and also as an official reporting station for the National Weather Service as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Included in the Harbor Patrol Division is the Sheriff's Dive Team. The Dive Team consists of eighteen divers including a Sergeant, who are trained in underwater search, rescue, and recovery operations along with swift water rescues. Three members of the team are also assigned to Sheriff’s Bomb and trained as underwater bomb experts. The team often assists in investigations conducted by the Sheriff's Department and a variety of outside agencies. The Dive Team has logged over 4000 hours underwater since its inception in 1975. In 2006 the Team responded to 35 calls for service ranging from emergency repairs of Harbor Patrol boats to recoveries of weapons for local city police agencies. In addition, the Team logged a total of 223 dives for a total of 114 hours of dive time. The recent addition of dry suits and new sophisticated dive gear, including metal detection, underwater sonar equipment, and an ROV (Remote Operating Vehicle), has enabled the Team to safely respond to difficult or contaminated situations to any of the counties waters.
The Harbor Patrol rescue fleet consists of six twin-engine fireboats and seven single-engine patrol boats. The fleet is completely maintained "in-house" by the Harbor Patrol's highly skilled marine mechanics and craftsmen.
The 7,000 square foot Harbor Patrol Headquarters building contains the state-of-the-art 800 MHz dispatch area, emergency operations center, conference and training center, and maintenance facility.