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In 1974, a
group of Deputies felt that there was a definite need for the ability
to search beneath the waters of Wayne County without dragging a gang
of hooks behind a boat and attempting to blindly snag a piece of
evidence. As a result, the group organized training at a local
pool and obtained a YMCA SCUBA Certification on their own. The
Deputy Sheriff's Benevolent Association purchased some of the
equipment needed and the deputies purchased the rest. There was
some controversy at the time but it was resolved and the county
agreed to accept donation of the equipment and would create the
Underwater Search and Recovery Team. A number of deputies began
training and eight were
George
"Bud" Abbott Scuba Diving in Upstate New York is full of challenges as the new members would soon find out. The first time the team was called into action was in December. A family disturbance led to a woman jumping from a bridge in the swift, frigid water of the partially frozen barge canal. The woman's spouse jumped a few moments later, in an attempt to rescue the distraught woman. The attempt was unsuccessful and deputies searched the water for both people for five days in what turned into a multiple county effort. The water in the canal is not normally considered to be swift flowing but this time the swimmers had to pull themselves along on ropes that were allowed to drift free on one end and were attached to another rope that was secured on the shore.
Wayne County
has been blessed with plenty of water ranging from the great lake of
Ontario and the Barge Canal to the lazy Ganargua Creek and tiny farm
ponds. Criminals see all of this water as an opportune hiding
place for the product of their crimes. The Underwater Search
and Recovery Team has assisted local law enforcement as well as their
own officers with the recovery of guns, safes, cash registers,
automobiles, boats, bodies and numerous other types of merchandise
and equipment. They even removed a steel navigational buoy
which mysteriously appeared in the lake attached to a The team trains monthly in water from six feet deep to 130 feet deep. It trains from a few feet to a few miles from shore, utilizing different techniques. The absence of good witnesses and valid landmarks make the task even more difficult in water that at best can be described as low visibility and at times is complete darkness. You could appreciate the task if you were asked to find an object, such as a ladies purse, in a parking lot at the mall and could only spend 30 minutes at a time looking for it and had to search blindfolded. The temperature would be probably be in the 40's and you would not have a jacket to keep you warm. The team has proven to be an invaluable service to the community. |
named to the new team. The original members were:
Since
that abrupt start, deputies have been called to numerous scenes both
within and outside the county. Many times the resources of an
agency have been exhausted and help has either been requested or
rendered in an effort to provide closure for a grieving family.
two
ton anchor that was hidden just below the surface, causing damage in
the thousands of dollars to many boats.
