The Isabella County Board of Commissioners approved a motion Tuesday to host two separate underwater police training sessions in Isabella County.

The two one-week training sessions put on by Dive Rescue International, a Colorado-based company, will allow local and non-local police officers a chance to train in underwater diving situations. The training dates have yet to be determined.

One session will train officers in underwater investigating and the other will train officers in underwater technology used in crime scene investigations.

“A larger part of our reason for diving is for evidence,” said Isabella County Undersheriff Laude Hartrum.

The program will not generate revenue for the county, but the host county is allowed two free participants in the training sessions. Hartrum said it is a good opportunity for Isabella County’s Sheriff’s deputies to get good training for free.

“Isabella County has great conditions for the training because we have deep bodies of water and the water is fairly clear,” he said. “Plus, since we host, we can send our guys for nothing, which is a great opportunity.”

Isabella County has 3.48 square miles of water within its borders, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Web site.

The project will require prep time to set up the training sites. Dive Rescue International, along with members of the Isabella County Sheriff’s Department, will determine the sites used for training.

County Commissioner John Haupt said the program will be good opportunity for the county.

“This training is valuable for gathering evidence and we get to send our guys for free,” he said.

E-mail the author: Edward Schutter