Tasmania Police, like all state police forces, are responsible for all inshore maritime rescue situations. In distress situations Tas Maritime Radio uses its extensive radio network to liaise with the police who may dispatch a police vessel or helicopter to the scene while TMR maintains contact with them and the vessel in distress.

Tas Maritime Radio reports all MAYDAY and PAN PAN calls to Tasmania Police, even obvious hoax calls. Tas Maritime Radio records everything it says and hears, so if a hoax call is received a copy of the recording is made available to police to assist them to apprehend and charge the culprit.

In the interests of expediency, TMR will always broadcast a call to any vessel in the area that can assist immediately after receiving a distress call. We then phone the police and advise them of the situation.

Where the assistance is being adequately provided by another vessel the police are usually happy to be kept informed until the situation is resolved.

The Tasmania Police website is www.police.tas.gov.au.