About the Team
Members of the Missouri State Highway Patrol Dive Team conduct an average of 27 dive callouts a year to recover drowning victims, boating crash victims, or to recover criminal evidence in felony cases. Dive team members are certified for dive operations in all Missouri waterways, including ice dives.
The Dive Team is composed of 11 divers assigned to troops throughout the state, including a Dive Team Leader and an Assistant Dive Team Leader. The Dive Team is on call 365 days a year and 24 hours a day.
27 callouts a year
Average annual dive callouts for victim recovery and evidence searches.
11 divers
Assigned to troops statewide, including a team leader and an assistant team leader.
24 hours a day
On call 365 days a year, certified for all Missouri waterways including ice dives.
Training, Certification and Equipment
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Qualifications
- Successful completion of the annual PADI Dive Master Water Skills Test
- Successful completion of the annual Dive Team Swim test
Training and Certification
- All divers must complete the five-week MSHP New Diver Course. All divers are PADI certified in the following courses: Open Water Diver, Advanced Open Water, Rescue Diver, Master Diver, five additional specialty diver courses, and Oxygen Provider for diving emergencies.
- All divers are required to complete Swift Water Rescue I and Ice diving training.
- Seven divers are PADI Tec65 Trimix certified to dive deeper depths for longer periods of time.
- Divers are assigned to 19 training days and 12 practice dives annually.
- Annual training courses completed include: panic proofing, "blacked out" entrapment scenarios, out of air scenarios, gas blending, underwater navigation, search pattern validations, lift operations, ice diving, heavy current diving in zero visibility, and administering the peer support program, DEFENSE.
Swiftwater Rescue Training
The Missouri State Highway Patrol offers specialized swiftwater training for Marine Operations Troopers to prepare them for dangerous flooding rescue scenarios.
Training components
- Boat operations in swift water conditions
- Self-rescue techniques
- Rope and pulley rescue systems
- Flood rescue methods
- Techniques focusing on victim rescue without water entry when conditions are too hazardous
Purpose
The training enables officers to work safely during dangerous conditions while protecting the public. It emphasizes coordination with rescue personnel from other agencies and increases emergency responder safety.