Sheriff badge returned 30 years later

SAUGATUCK (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - More than 30 years ago a local sheriff's deputy lost his badge in Lake Michigan. But, just this month the nearly impossible happened, it was returned to him.

It was on Douglas Beach that the personal police badge washed ashore. A tourist from Cleveland spotted it and turned it in.

"This is me catching a fish," said Max Elenbaas. 30-year-old slides on 30-year-old equipment bring back a lot of memories for Elenbaas.

"I can't remember ever being that good-looking," said Elenbaas.

That was in the mid 1970s when Elenbaas was an Ottawa County Sheriff's Deputy. He was out fishing one day in Lake Michigan and bent over on his boat.

"And when I did that, this fell in, it kind of went like this because it's in a case," said Elenbaas, making a waving motion with his hand.

He had lost his personal police badge and ID in the lake.

"You lose something in Lake Michigan, a mile and a half, two miles out, it's not going to come back to you, there's no way," said Elenbaas.

Elenbaas was a sheriff's deputy for 10 years. He made corporal. But it took until he was 61 and retired for that badge to find its way back.

"They drove up, he handed it to me, and even when I had it in my hand, I looked at it and says, yea I can't believe this," said Elenbaas.

A tourist found it on the lake shore about two weeks ago and gave it to police. The clear plastic had turned blue and the badge had rusted.

"It has Ottawa County Sheriff's Department and my name right across the top," said Elenbaas.

Elenbaas had long since sold the boat he took out that day. "That was a nice little boat," he said.

But after all these years the ID is just as clear as his memories.

"It's in very good shape, how can that be in the water for 30 years," asked Elenbaas.

Elenbaas says the leather part of that badge likely kept it buoyant and prevented the badge from sinking to the bottom of Lake Michigan.