14 USC 89(a)

(a) The Coast Guard may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United States. For such purposes, commissioned, warrant, and petty officers may at any time go on board of any vessel subject to the jurisdiction, or to the operation of any law, of the United States, address inquiries to those on board, examine the ship’s documents and papers, and examine, inspect, and search the vessel and use all necessary force to compel compliance. When from such inquiries, examination, inspection, or search it appears that a breach of the laws of the United States rendering a person liable to arrest is being, or has been committed, by any person, such person shall be arrested or, if escaping to shore, shall be immediately pursued and arrested on shore, or other lawful and appropriate action shall be taken; or, if it shall appear that a breach of the laws of the United States has been committed so as to render such vessel, or the merchandise, or any part thereof, on board of, or brought into the United States by, such vessel, liable to forfeiture, or so as to render such vessel liable to a fine or penalty and if necessary to secure such fine or penalty, such vessel or such merchandise, or both, shall be seized.

(b) The officers of the Coast Guard insofar as they are engaged, pursuant to the authority contained in this section, in enforcing any law of the United States shall:

(1) be deemed to be acting as agents of the particular executive department or independent establishment charged with the administration of the particular law; and

(2) be subject to all the rules and regulations promulgated by such department or independent establishment with respect to the enforcement of that law.

(c) The provisions of this section are in addition to any powers conferred by law upon such officers, and not in limitation of any powers conferred by law upon such officers, or any other officers of the United States.


After today - Kenny will be officially able to arrest people. He of course has been part of the teams that go out and do that (and has done that for a long time), etc. but now, after going to school for six weeks, and passing a board, he officially can be the one that leads the team, organizes the boarding, search, interrogation,(all of that stuff in small print above). He will have all the authority. I am impressed that he takes it so seriously. Last night he said......"that means I can actually read someone their rights, put them in handcuffs, and take away their freedom.....that's pretty heavy". That is pretty heavy, acting as a federal agent! Whoa! Of course in my mind I am just seeing the danger factor involved and the guns, and the bulletproof vests, the super (and I mean super) fast boat driving with guns firing, and all of that. Nevertheless, I am so proud of him - and it is pretty sweet (and hot). Good luck today sweets, we are thinking of you.