Lauderhill Police Department's -

Underwater Recovery Team

About the Underwater Recovery Team:
           Water, water everywhere and it’s not the kind that you drink!  Southeast Florida is known for beautiful coastal beaches and scenic waterways but few take the time to think about the canals and lakes that run through our in-land communities such as Lauderhill.  These neighborhood waterways are essential to keeping our homes and businesses high and dry during the rainy season.  Nearly every area of the city has some body of water whether it’s the canal that runs behind your home or the lake in the center of your complex; water is everywhere. 
           Essential for proper drainage these canals also present danger to drivers and pedestrians as well as opportunities for criminals seeking to conceal or destroy evidence. 
           In 2001 the Lauderhill Police Department found that there was a void in how the agency responded to situations in and around the many waterways in the city.  Research found that there were nearly 90 miles of inland shoreline coursing through the community.  If a person, vehicle, or evidence found its way into the water the department had to rely on other agencies to locate them.
           With the approval of the Chief, SCUBA diver and Police Diver instructor Captain Rick Rocco established the police departments Underwater Recovery Team (URT).  Underwater recovery or “police diving” is similar to recreational diving in one respect – both utilize SCUBA equipment to breathe underwater; and that is where the similarities end.
           Police diving combines the elements of SCUBA diving with investigative skills.  The police diver submerses him or herself into an environment that most people would not want to get close to. Diving into the murky waters of a canal to locate a missing person, a stolen car, or a weapon discarded by a fleeing suspect is an essential part of the investigative function of a Police Diver.
           The Police Diver searches for these items by feel, not by sight.  The bottoms of the lakes and canals in the city are a combination of mud, silt, vegetation, debris and the occasional alligator.  Unfortunately many people use the canals as trash dumps and the teams divers have run into lawn furniture, television sets, shopping carts, and yard waste while performing searches.
           Dive Team membership is selective and is a collateral assignment. Team members respond to dive team calls from their various full time positions in the department.
           To be eligible for the team, department members must be a certified SCUBA diver and be able to complete a rigorous series of swimming and SCUBA diving skills.  They must also be able to successfully complete the Florida Department of Law Enforcements Police Underwater Science and Technology course.  The team trains on a monthly basis to maintain and improve on police diving skills and abilities. 
           Each team member is issued individual sets of diving equipment including dry suits, wet suits, full face masks, buoyancy compensator devices, regulators, fins, lights and ropes.  The agency also provides a full size utility van that contains specialized search equipment, air tanks, and back up gear for any recovery operation. 
           The Team has become well known in the local law enforcement community and has been called upon by neighboring jurisdictions for assistance.  In 2002 the team began participating in the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement Blue Lighting Task Force searching ship hulls in south Florida ports.  The Lauderhill Police Department's dive team received an award from DHS in 2003 for their efforts as a lead agency participating in the Blue Lightning Operations and continues to be a leader in training other agencies in this specialized type of diving. 
           The Team exists to be of service to the road patrol, traffic, and investigative functions of the department.  The Team also participates in community events such as April Pools Water Safety and team members are available to speak to groups about water safety and provide demonstrations. 
           For additional information on the URT feel free to contact Captain Rick Rocco at Lauderhill Police Department at 954 497 4705.

• Mission:
  • The URT exists to serve the citizens of Lauderhill in a variety of ways. Among the functions carried out by the URT are:
    • Search and recover evidence in the waterways of the city for:
      • Vehicles
      • Weapons
      • Persons
      • Other evidence
  • The URT is a Member of the Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement  Blue Lightning Task Force
    • Search ship hulls and seawalls in south Florida Ports for contraband

o   Additionally the URT

o   Assists the Lauderhill Fire Department as needed for rescue operations

o   Assists other local agencies as part of a mutual aid agreement

o   Conducts training courses for local agencies and educational institutions

About the Author:
Captain Rick Rocco has over 27 years in law enforcement. In addition to his full time duties as the Special Operations Division Commander, he is a Police Diver Instructor through the National Academy of Police Diving and adjunct instructor at the Broward Police Academy Institute of Public Safety.