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As a function of most police search and recovery dive units, stolen vehicle recoveries account for 25% of the team's annual call-outs
Two Tulsa Police divers practice aerial insertions into a water area to be searched as part of a training exercise


The Underwater Search and Recovery Unit

Formally organized in 1990, the Department's Underwater Search and Recovery Unit is made up of 14 team members (10 sworn and 4 civilian volunteer flight paramedics). The team has two team members certified as PADI Open Water Scuba Instructors while the remaining members have attained their Dive master certification as well as numerous specialty and commercial diver ratings.

The Unit performs its public safety diving service in the "recovery" mode - leaving the "rescue" function to the Fire Department's emergency rescue dive team. Our police divers train once a month and have sponsored joint-agency seminars with local public safety dive teams in order to share experiences and techniques in the hopes of establishing more open lines of inter-agency communication.

The team utilizes hard-wire communication equipment on most of its operational call-outs and hopes to begin surface-supplied air operations in the near future

Dive Team
Most of the unit's call-out operations involve article searches (e.g., homicide weapons, or objects of evidentiary value) as well as stolen vehicles and homicide victims. The team averages 10 to 12 call-outs per year. About 50% of these call-outs involve assisting local, state and federal agencies.
Dive shell
Thumbs Up
Bridge Pic Two
Bridge Pic
Found Gun
Car Boat
Helocopter Insertion
Dive Shell