DELAWARE STATE POLICE SCUBA TEAM
Sergeant Jeffrey A. Giles
The Delaware State Police SCUBA Unit is a part-time unit that currently consists of eleven members. Sgt. Jeff Giles, NCOIC, currently leads the team assisted by Cpl/1 Steve Fausey. The Scuba Unit completed thirty-six operational dives during 2011 that included evidence recovery, assists for other units and joint training efforts with Federal State and local agencies.
There were twelve call outs in 2011, these activations included:
• The scuba team responded to the North Summit Marina to assist DNREC with a sunken vessel. The 35’ DNREC patrol boat had some type of mechanical issue and sunk in 30’ of water. Divers located and secured the vessel with cables and were able to attach the lines to a hydraulic lift. The vessel was recovered.
• The scuba team responded to the White Clay Creek to search the creek for a possible body of a suicidal subject that was struck by a train over the creek. A search was conducted and the body was recovered in 6’ of water hidden from view.
• The scuba team responded to a marsh area off Savannah Rd. in Georgetown to assist Georgetown P.D. in recovering a weapon from a robbery. A search was conducted with negative results.
• The scuba team responded to Twin Bridges Rd. in Ocean View to assist on a DNREC investigation. A search of the area was conducted and the divers recovered (cash register, safe, T.V. jewelry box, drill press and a gym bag). On the following day June 25, 2011, two scuba members responded to a call of a vehicle in the water just e/o Summit Bridge in the C&D canal. Cpl/1 Greene and Terranova coordinated a dive and quickly recovered the body of the driver. On the following day the scuba team responded to the site and recovered the pick up truck in 40’ of water.
• The scuba team responded to the Brandywine River under the Market Street Bridge to assist Wilmington P.D. in searching the area for a gun used in a homicide. The following items were recovered (toy gun, pellet gun, 3 cell phones and a hammer that was linked to the homicide).
• The scuba team responded to a retention pond adjacent to Pinewood MHP to assist the Homicide Unit. The pond was searched for evidence with negative results.
• The scuba team responded to Barkers Landing for a suicidal subject that had jumped off the Rt. 1 overpass. A search was conducted with assistance form DNREC and a side sonar system. Several dives were conducted with negative results.
Other significant dives included:
• The scuba team assisted the SORT team by conducting a water survival training course for the current training class. A guide for conducting the training was completed and will be used for future SORT candidates.
• The scuba team continues to conduct joint training with the Aviation Unit in hoist exercises. Several exercises were conducted. The scuba team also serves as a safety team for the hoisting exercises in the Delaware Bay.
• The scuba team conducted several diving exercises on the new DSP Marine one vessel. The following scuba members became members of the Maritime Unit, Sgt. Jeff Giles, Cpl/1 Brian Greene, Cpl. Thomas Guarini and Cpl. Mike Terranova.
• Several training dives were conducted in the Hoopes reservoir and Milford quarry utilizing our three way communications equipment.
• In August, 2011 the dive team performed training with the Lewes Fire Co. and the Coast Guard Auxiliary. A training dive was conducted off the Lewes Fireboat in the Delaware Bay.
• For a week in October the following scuba members (Cpl/3 Fuscellero, Cpl/3 Griffin, Cpl/1 Greene, Cpl. Guarini, Cpl. M. Terranova and Cpl. Gliem attended a week of scuba training and exercises in Deep Creek Maryland. They participated in joint training exercises with MSP, Baltimore City P.D and Baltimore County P.D dive teams. New search patterns, equipment updates and safety were discussed and practiced.
2011 was a very positive and rewarding year for The Delaware State Police Scuba Team. Four Scuba members were assigned to the new Maritime Unit. With the formation of the new Maritime Unit the Scuba Team has been able to network out with other police agencies and organizations. The 2011 Delaware State Scuba Unit is a true team. Each individual brings their own positive attributes to the Unit. Their dedication and loyalty is second to none. We look forward to providing our service to all the Police, Fire and Law Enforcement agencies in 2012.
- Information obtained from 2011 DSP
Annual Report -
