Fish with a Cop Catches Fish and Friendships

The Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department along with regional law enforcement partners and students from Perkins K-8 Elementary School in Barrio Logan reeled in some fresh catch during Fish with a Cop over the weekend. The exciting half-day fishing excursion doubled as a one-on-one mentoring opportunity for the officers and students. On Friday, April 11, 2025 the group headed out to sea with Dolphin Sportfishing San Diego out of Fisherman's Landing.

"Outings like this are opportunities for us to teach local kids new skills and to build relationships in our communities. We offer many experiences to the kids at Perkins throughout the year, including Read with a Cop, Jiu Jitsu with a Cop, Shop with a Cop, and more. Ultimately, our goal is to connect with the students and provide meaningful adult interactions. For Fish with a Cop, many of our officers are also avid anglers, so they enjoy interacting with the kids in a fun and unique way," said Assistant Chief Jeffrey Geary, Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department.

The event was held in coordination with the San Diego Harbor Police Foundationand Friends of Rollo. Other partnering agencies included the FBI, San Diego County Sheriff's Department, San Diego Unified School District Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, and the County of San Diego Probation Department.

Fish with a Cop aims to foster positive interactions between students and law enforcement personnel. This initiative offers an opportunity for meaningful engagement between officers and students from the Barrio Logan area, facilitating community connections, and building lasting relationships. Through this program, Port of San Diego Harbor Police seeks to instill a sense of care and support within our local youth, fostering bonds that promote a sense of belonging and security. In addition, fishing has been linked to imparting essential socializing skills, which is important for children as part of their growth and development.

With 23 public parks, nine public piers, 19 hotels and resorts, dozens of restaurants, an international airport, cargo and cruise ship terminals, and thousands of marine vessels on and around San Diego Bay, Harbor Police officers are charged with keeping the community safe for those who live and work in the San Diego region, and for visitors from around the world. They:

• patrol San Diego Bay and the surrounding waterfront, including the San Diego International Airport;
• are marine firefighters, trained and ready to respond to vessel fires on the bay;
• work with federal, state and local partners to address and prevent crime on and around the bayfront, in the Port's member cities of Chula Vista, Coronado, Imperial Beach, National City, and San Diego, and throughout the region;
• are specially trained in dive search and rescue, evidence and body recovery, underwater explosive detection, vehicle recovery and many other surface and underwater capabilities;
• deploy K9 teams trained in explosives detection; and more.

The department upholds its mission to protect and serve with excellence through proactive policing, community engagement, and serving with honor, professionalism, and dedication. For more information about the functions of the Harbor Police Department in all aspects of public safety on and around San Diego Bay, go to portofsandiego.org/harborpolice.