COLUMBUS, OH South Point resident Ken Stapleton has been appointed watercraft officer in Portsmouth, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Watercraft.
A graduate of South Point High School, Stapleton has six years of law enforcement experience with the Proctorville Police Department and Lawrence County Sheriffs Department. He will enforce state boating laws primarily on the Ohio River and on Lake White, Rocky Fork Lake and Paint Creek Lake.
Stapleton has been trained in boating regulation and safety and is a certified peace officer of the State of Ohio. As such, he has received instruction in the Ohio Revised Code, self-defense, investigative and arrest techniques, firearms handling and certification, crime scene preservation and analysis, proper search and seizure techniques, first aid, and law enforcement communication skills.
ODNRs Division of Watercraft administers and enforces state boating regulations and laws, conducts boating safety education programs and develops boating facilities on major water areas. It also awards grants to expand education and enforcement efforts. For additional information on Ohios boating programs, call toll-free 1-877- 4BOATER and visit the ODNR web page at Ohiodnr.com
For Further Information Contact:
John Wisse, ODNR Division of Watercraft
(614) 265-6695
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882