Dive Unit
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Dive Unit is a Public Safety Dive Unit that has been in operation since 1975. It was originally tasked as a Search and Rescue Team, but in 2013 it was reassigned under the Patrol Division. This reassignment also included the restructuring and certification as a Public Safety Dive Unit. Since its inception, divers have participated in hundreds of recovery operations in its history and are responsible for the investigation of underwater crime scenes, as well as homeland security sweeps and searches. Divers have recovered significant amounts of stolen property, vehicles, vessels, aircraft and bodies from various underwater locations throughout the County of Monterey and State of California. All Dive Unit members have assigned duties in various other commands within the Sheriff’s Office and perform the Dive Unit missions as a collateral duty. The Dive Unit consists of a Commander as Officer-in-Charge and diver, a Sergeant as Assistant Officer-in-Charge and diver. Also, seven Sheriff’s Deputy divers, one which acts as a Bomb Squad Diver and four SWAT Divers.
MCSO Dive Unit Mission
Dive Unit members routinely dive in the Monterey Bay, Moss Landing Harbor, Monterey Harbor, Stillwater Cove, the Salinas River, City and County lakes, canals, streams, reservoirs and the approximately 100 miles of coastline that borders Monterey County. Their mission is to perform all investigations and other needed law enforcement tasks which must be performed underwater. Requests for Sheriff’s Dive resources are made telephonically through the County Communications or contacting the Sheriff’s Office.
Diver Training and Certifications
All Divers attended a Public Safety Dive School at the Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center (MLETC) in Las Angeles. This 6-week school certifies all Sheriff Divers as Public Safety Divers through California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST). All Divers have certified as NAUI Dive Masters. The team Sergeant is Certified as NAUI Dive Master and SCUBA Instructor the Team Commander is Certified as a NAUI Dive Master, SCUBA Instructor and Public Safety Diver Instructor.
Divers have also attended Underwater Hazardous Device Search course, FBI Post Blast Underwater Investigations course, Kirby Morgan Public Safety Surface Supplied Air Dive course, Law Enforcement Boat Operators course Tactical Maritime Operations course.
Duties and Responsibilities
Sheriff’s Divers primarily conduct search, rescue and recovery of persons in bodies of water. They also conduct investigations of underwater crime scenes in the County of Monterey.
Other responsibilities include search and recovery of property and related criminal evidence, recovery of lost or stolen property, underwater photography and video documentation, hazardous devices and contraband related vessel hull and pier searches, homeland security/sensitive location periodic inspections, removal of conditions that pose a threat to life and property, or where County liability exists, confined space diving, hazmat diving and other duties as directed by the Sheriff.
