PEWAUKEE, Wis. — For the past 22 years, Officer Mellissa Schmackle has patrolled the waters of Pewaukee Lake. 

“Always on a boat,” Schmackle said. “This is our police car.” 

She’s one of the 12 Pewaukee Lake Patrol officers who monitor the lake all year, even when the lake is frozen. 

“Watching the fishermen ice fish and the snowmobilers that run across the lake, four wheelers,” Schmackle said. 

Summer months keep them busy, especially holidays such as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day. 

“We look for riding on gun walls, riding on decks, riding too close to other boats,” Schmackle said. “That’s our safety aspect of everything. We want to keep everyone safe this last weekend of summer.” 

That's on top of drinking alcohol, at any age, while cruising the waters, which is not allowed. 

But even without alcohol, the water can be dangerous.

Just last week, two boats collided on the east side of the lake. The Pewaukee Lake Patrol said a a 26-year-old operator, who was the sole occupant of one of the boats, was treated at the scene. The two occupants on the other boat involved, a 61-year-old and 58-year-old, were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. Police said alcohol is not believed to be involved at this time. 

Both Schmackle and her partner, Officer Jeff Griffin, said they always encourage people to wear life jackets.

“We don’t want to see a child in an adult large life jacket. It’s not going to work for them,” Griffin said. “We make sure everyone has a proper life jacket that fits them and is in working order.” 

While they don’t anticipate Labor Day weekend to be as busy as other summer holidays, it’s important for them to make sure boaters' mindsets aren't solely on auto pilot.

“They see us as part of their community, too,” Schmackle said. “They’re helpful to us. They’re our third eye that helps us keep this lake safe, too.”