How to work as a diver in the police force

When you think about police in America, what do you see? Police officers patrolling the streets? Police cars passing by? Police dogs chasing criminals down the street? Or maybe SWAT team members punching doors and breaking windows to get terrorists out of their hiding places? Well, if you are thinking that way, there is something more than this.

There is police diving. Police divers are law enforcement professionals with additional training in scuba diving techniques. Police divers are very similar to traditional recreational scuba divers, except they carry out underwater crime scenes investigations for the police force.

How much does a police diver earn on average?

Police divers can earn anything between $32,000 to $62,000 in the year 2018. It completely depends on your experience and reputation in the industry. Usually, police officers (including divers) receive an annual salary of around $30,000. The hourly rate for police divers is around $18.00/hour to $24.75/hour.

How long does it take to become a police diver?

It takes around 6 months to 3 years of training before you are eligible to become a police diver under the employment of any law enforcement agency. You must complete levels 1,2 and 3 of the US Navy Dive tables, which are also known as the SAA dive table.

What do frogmen do?

Police divers are also referred to as ‘frogmen’. They are responsible for conducting search and recovery operations in underwater environments. They may need to recover evidence or bodies from large water areas or rivers, conduct security inspections of waterways, and recover lost objects from the bottom of the water source. They may also be present as a part of a police force during large events involving water, such as Fourth of July on the beach or New Year’s Eve in Times Square.

What is an underwater criminal investigator?

An Underwater Criminal Investigator is very similar to police divers. They are responsible for conducting underwater investigations, often at the request of Law Enforcement agencies. The main difference between police divers and Underwater Criminal Investigators is that criminal investigators can investigate any crimes whereas police divers are responsible for investigating underwater crime scenes only.

How do you become a crime scene diver?

To become a Crime Scene Diver, you will need to become a police officer first. This is because, in order to be accepted into the Crime Scene Diving Program, you must have previous experience in law enforcement. Then after completing the program, the candidate is required to pass additional training courses before working as a crime scene diver.

Is it a risky job being a police diver?

Yes. Police divers conduct underwater investigations and search and rescue operations which definitely carry certain risks. During training, recruits will learn various driving techniques including how to properly operate in the water, conduct searches efficiently, lift heavy objects out of the water using scuba equipment without compromising health or safety. Recruits are also taught how to properly operate a gun underwater.

There are several benefits of having a career as a police diver.

Benefits of being a police diver:

It will make your transition to the dive industry much smoother. Not only you will learn about diving, but you’ll also learn scuba rules and regulations. It’s even possible to become an instructor after serving as a police diver for some time. If you are not currently a diver, but you are an experienced swimmer with open water certification, it’s possible to become a police diver after one of the Law Enforcement training courses.

Police divers make more money than regular recreational divers. This is because they are required to complete several training courses before joining the force. Also once hired as a police diver, an employee will be required to work late nights and weekends. These two factors combined make police divers more valuable than the average recreational diver.

From the above, it can be concluded that becoming a police diver is no easy task. However, if your dream is to become a police diver or you are currently working on becoming one – there are several benefits associated with this profession. It will allow you to make a smooth transition from recreational diving into underwater investigation and security fields. You can always begin your career as a police diver and later become an instructor. You will also make more money than the average recreational diver. So what are you waiting for? Start your training today!

Thank you for reading, check out how to increase your income with scuba diving here.