Allegations that VI government employees, toting guns, harassed and intimidated Coral Bay boat owners are being investigated by the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
Commissioner Alicia Barnes announced an internal probe after her office “received complaints from several St. John residents about DPNR officers brandishing weapons and cutting mooring lines in the Coral Bay area,” she said in a news release.
Director Roberto Tapia of the Division of Environmental Enforcement confirmed his officers were involved “in a week-long initiative in Coral Bay to rid the area of illegal moorings and to enforce on the many unregistered vessels in that area.”
The owner of Coral Bay Marine commented to the St. John Source. Sandy Mohler said, “What they did was wrong, unacceptable and illegal.” Read the Source story here.
In a posting to YouTube, TheDweave69 described a video clip saying it showed “agents checking registration of dinghies … officers walking back down from the parking lot showing their gun etiquette after intimidation, interrogation, and demanding ID from anyone … They are not concerned about boats in the parking lot.