Organization of the Nassau County Police Underwater Search and Recovery Team

The Underwater Search and Recovery Team is comprised of eight Marine Bureau members who are specially trained and qualified to perform all types of underwater operations.

One supervisor is assigned to the Underwater Search and Recovery Team. The supervisor is is a certified police diver and works closely with team members. The supervisor is in charge of all dive scheduling and operations. The supervisor ensures that all divers satisfactorily perform their duties by participating in regular training, pre-dive planning, and on-the-job performance evaluation. The supervisor coordinates personnel requirements during regular hours. The supervisor also interviews new applicants for the underwater search and recovery team. He ensures that the divers are properly equipped and prepared to safely perform dive operations. The supervisor will oversee equipment testing and make recommendations for acquisition of new equipment. The supervisor is the spokesperson for the Underwater Search and Recovery Team.

All police officers asigned to the Underwater Search and Recovery Team are certified divers. The police divers perform the underwater search and recovery of drowning victims, searches for criminal evidence and lost property, hull inspections for devices or contraband and underwater vessel repairs. They assist the Marine Bureau accident investigators with boating accident investigations and assist other agencies in underwater related investigations. The police diver is constantly team trained for the vigorous task of diving in highly hazardous conditions in an underwater environment.

Copyright © by Nassau County, N.Y., Police Department 2002