Traditionally police dive units across Canada evolved from sport certified police officers requested to recover underwater evidence for their departments. Virtually every department had members with a "diver's licence". Over time it was recognised that many police diving units lacked the specialised training, equipment and procedural information to function safely and efficiently in the often hostile underwater environment they were working in.

The legislation which prescribes the rules and regulations under which police underwater search and recovery operations can take place are contained in the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulation for Diving Operation. Regulation 629/94, which passed December 1994, requires that all workers are competent to perform the work, have adequate knowledge of the theory and use of the type of diving apparatus used. 

The CSA Competency Standards for Diving Operations Doc. 275.4 is the national training standard on which occupational diving competency is based. Currently the CSA standard does not have the force of law unless mandated by legislation or called up in the regulations of the authority having jurisdiction. Ontario Diving Regulation 629/94 is currently in the rewrite stage and will include an amendment citing the CSA Standard as the minimum level of competency.

 


Constable Gord Nash tends a surface-supplied air diver during monthly in-service training (24 hours per month minimum). The diver is wearing a SuperLite 27B helmet.
The Ministry of Labour's function is to ensure qualified and competent divers being used by all law enforcement agencies and that they are aware of the following responsibilities:
  • to notify the ministry of a diving operation (including training)
  • ensure that one or more competent persons are appointed as diving supervisors
  • ensure adequate number of personnel (diver, standby diver, diving tender and supervisor)
  • ensure all divers are medically fit and carry a written statement from an approved doctor that states the diver is fit for occupational diving.


For liability reasons, SOP's and training manuals are available only to those persons or agencies taking part and successfully completing NRPS USRU training programs.

The NRPS USRU maintains detailed fitness standards, Course Training Standards (CTS) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that cover all aspects of the USRU function including:
Diver selection Diver qualification Physics, physiology, DCIEM tables Competency training (SCUBA and surface-supplied air diving systems) Equipment and application Communications Rigging Seamanship Search patterns Underwater photography Underwater forensic investigation Emergency training (first aid, CPR, oxygen therapy, triage) Hazards and legislation Confined space entry

Training divers from the selection of a new candidate to the diving supervisor level is broken down into five phases:

Phase I: Diver Selection (2 days)
Phase II: Diver Qualification (5 weeks)
Phase III: Diver Probation (1 year)
Phase IV: In-Service Training (24-hour minimum per month)
Phase V: Diving Supervisor Training (2 weeks) minimum three years diving service

  

For more information, contact the Underwater Search and Recovery Unit of the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688-4111.