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 since the retirement of Cpl. Grasmick. Sgt. Jeff Giles, NCOIC, currently leads the team assisted by Cpl/1 Steve Fausey. The Scuba Unit completed thirty three operational dives during 2010 that included evidence recovery, assists for other units, and joint training efforts with Federal State and local agencies.

There were nine callouts in 2010, these activations included:
- Assisting Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) on two missing boaters and recovering an overturned boat.
- Two searches in the Indian River Inlet for two separate missing person complaints.
- A vehicle and body was recovered in the Snow Branch Creek off Twin Willows Rd.
- A vehicle recovery in Duck Creek off the Flemmings Landing boat ramp.
- Assisting the Maryland State Police in locating a cell phone and baseball cap near Seaford.
- Assisting Georgetown PD locating a cell phone from a robbery investigation.

Other significant dives included:
- In January, the dive team responded to the north end of S. Bowers Beach for a large object that was out near the channel of the Delaware Bay. Cpl/1 Fausey was able to determine that the object was a vehicle mostly submerged in silt with heavy damage. He was able to pull off the license plate. A check revealed that the vehicle and owner had been reported missing a month ago by Dover P.D. A complex recovery mission involving several Fire and DNREC boats, along with the dive team, ensued. Eventually the vehicle and the deceased who was still in the vehicle, were pulled from the water.
- The team assisted the Homicide Unit on a recovery of a pistol that was used in a homicide in the Pot Nets Community.
- The recovery of two cash registers and rifles from the Christina River in Newport for Newport P.D.
- A dive for the Pennsylvania State Police in the Del. River on a large hull of a ship. Cpl. Greene and Gliem were able to determine the hull was wooden and were able to pull up a piece with steel spikes.



Some additional activities performed by The Scuba Unit in 2010 included:
- Water safety training to the Academy Recruits and DSP Explorers
- Demonstrations for the 911 open houses in Sussex, Kent and New Castle Counties
- Hoist Training involving Scuba assets with the Aviation Unit
- Water safety at the polar bear plunge

The 2010 Delaware State Scuba Unit is a true team. Each individual brings their own positive attributes and strengths to the team. We look forward to providing our service to all the Police, Fire and Law Enforcement agencies in 2011.

- Information obtained from 2010 DSP Annual Report -