After the September 11th terrorist attack the Long Beach Police Boat Operations was established on December 17, 2001. It began as a Homeland Security need to provide a 24 hour / 7 day per week law enforcement presence on land and on water protecting the 2nd busiest port in the nation. The port is vital to the US economy; approximately 41 percent of the nations goods come through the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Today, the Boat Operations Unit provides law enforcement to all Long Beach waterways, conduct cruise line and ship escorts, assist recreational vessels, conducts ship sea marshaling and deployment of the LBPD dive team. The Boat Operations Unit works closely with the United States Coast Guard and surrounding law enforcement agencies to complete its mission.