By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
LAKE ORION — A $1,300 donation made on April 14 from the Lake Orion Lake Association to the Lake Orion Police Department will send two officers to a marine training academy in Holland.
The donation comes after the LOPD identified a “critical need” to enhance marine enforcement on Lake Orion, according to Lake Orion Chief of Police Mark Amundson. A challenge coming with this is ensuring marine officers receive specialized training “required” to effectively and safely enforce laws on the water way.
“This donation will cover the officers’ tuition, their lodging, meals and transportation costs,” Amundson said. “The Lake Orion Police Department will cover the officers’ salaries and benefits during this training period.”
The course will cover marine safety law, arrest powers and legal limitations, boat navigation, traveling and towing, basic search-and-rescue operations and more.
Amundson said the training will strengthen the village’s marine unit, improve boating safety and ensure more effective responses to emergencies on Lake Orion. Despite the importance of the training, it falls outside of the LOPD’s approved budget, he said.
“I’d just wanted to publicly and officially thank (President-elect) Dan Nelson from LOLA for their continued support of the Lake Orion Police Department on this initiative,” Amundson added.
Village Council President Teresa Rutt thanked LOLA for making the village a “safer” and “more vibrant” place.