Idaho Boating Program – State and County Partnerships

Overview
Speaker(s)

Idaho has a unique boating program in that county sheriffs – not state officers – are responsible for enforcing boating safety laws on the state’s waters. The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) works closely with 33 county sheriff’s offices to provide funding for their respective marine law enforcement programs as well as boat safety education and outreach efforts. Capt. Kindig and Lt. Keyes will give a brief overview on the collaborative efforts between IDPR and the counties, including details about the in-state officer training that has been developed over the years.

Dan Kindig

Capt., Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office

Capt. Dan Kindig has served with the Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office for the last 22 years. He holds a POST Advanced Certificate and has been working in marine law enforcement for over 19 years. Captain Kindig has been instrumental in developing, maintaining and overseeing the Marine Patrol Division of the Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, including the dive/rescue team.

He has attended numerous specialized marine training courses and serves as an instructor several Idaho training courses. Capt. Kindig also commands the Minidoka County Dive and SWAT teams. He was selected as the 2010 Idaho Marine Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. An avid paddlesports enthusiast, he is an ACA Level 1 Kayak Instructor. In addition to his other duties, he spends substantial time with boat safety education and public outreach.

Ben Keyes

Lieutenant

Lt. Ben Keyes started his career with the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office as a full-time marine deputy in 1981 and has been integral part of the state boating program since. He was promoted to marine supervisor in 1986. Holding a POST Advanced Certificate, he has been instructing in the area of marine law enforcement and boating education for over 27 years. Lt. Keyes has attended numerous specialized marine training courses and serves as an instructor for several Idaho training courses. Lt. Keyes has also been involved in the development of course curriculum for many marine law enforcement training courses, is a member of the International Association of Marine Investigators, and is a certified rescue diver. He was selected as the State of Idaho Marine Law Enforcement Officer of year in 2006, and in 2008 he was selected to be one of four Master Instructors in the area of Marine Law Enforcement for the state of Idaho.