The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) announced that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (Indiana DNR), Law Enforcement Division has become just the eighth agency in the country to meet the national standards of NASBLA’s Boat Operations and Training (BOAT) Program. The BOAT Program was created to ensure the readiness of law enforcement and emergency response boat crews throughout the country and is recognized by the United States Coast Guard as the national standard of training, typing and credentialing maritime law enforcement officers and emergency responders.
“Agencies who choose to adopt this national standard assure their ability to conduct missions on our nation’s waterways safely and effectively, and operate seamlessly with their federal, state, county, tribal and local maritime partners,” said Mark DuPont, director of Boat Operations and Training for NASBLA.
Through the accreditation process, Indiana DNR’s training plans, means of documentation, maintenance of files and currency of qualifications in the areas of Basic Crew Member, Boat Operator for Search and Rescue, and Tactical Operations were assessed and found to be in perfect compliance with the national standards outlined in the NASBLA BOAT Program Manual.
The agency will be formally recognized by the organization’s entire membership during the 55th NASBLA Annual Conference in Bar Harbor, Maine, October 16-19, 2014.
“The IDNR Law Enforcement Division is honored to have participated and met the demands established by the NASBLA accreditation committee. We are humbled by our accomplishments, but are extremely proud of them as they have prepared us to better serve our Indiana Hoosiers, and all those who look to us for water safety measures”, said Law Enforcement Division Director Danny East.
“The citizens of Indiana and of this country can be assured that this agency and its officers are true force multipliers and capable of interagency operations within our maritime homeland security and recreational boating safety framework,” said DuPont. “This is a significant step for the state of Indiana, a step that truly enhances the safety and security of Indiana DNR conservation officers and their partners on the water. It is a warranted reflection of the commitment, dedication and professionalism of their organization.”
“I could not be more proud of the efforts and skills of our officers, our training section, our Division and our Department”, said Indiana State Boating Law Administrator Lt. Kenton Turner. “This was an accomplishment achieved by a total team effort.”
About NASBLA
The National Association of State Boating Law Administrators is a national nonprofit organization that works to develop public policy for recreational boating safety. Representing the recreational boating authorities of all 50 states and the U.S. territories, NASBLA offers a variety of resources, including training, model acts, education standards and publications. Through a national network of thousands of professional educators, law enforcement officers and volunteers, the organization affects the lives of over 76 million American boaters. To learn more about how NASBLA continues to make the waterways safe, secure and enjoyable, visit http://www.nasbla.org. For more information on the BOAT Program, visit www.nasbla.org/BOAT.
