PCC Visit to Regional Underwater Search Team Exercise

Last week I visited the regional underwater search team training exercise, which this year, was hosted by the Avon & Somerset Police Underwater Search Team in collaboration with the team at the Southwest Maritime Academy. Underwater Search Teams from across the UK joined the exercise, and there was also involvement from the Home Office, other emergency services and from military colleagues.

PC Adam Rowland from the Avon & Somerset Underwater Search Team was central to the planning of the event and I was really pleased to talk to him about the aims of the exercise and the work of the team in general. The exercise included training scenarios that were focused on recovering evidence from challenging submerged structures such as the cabin of an aircraft, which had been provided by the Royal Navy. It was also an opportunity to test new and innovative equipment which it is hoped, can be used by underwater search teams to aid searching in very challenging environments where visibility limitations often makes their work particularly difficult.

It was clear from talking to those involved in the exercise that a great deal of planning and preparation had gone into the organisation of the event with a real focus on working in partnership to share knowledge, experience and resources and to learn from other teams.

The Avon & Somerset Police Underwater Search Team is one of only nine in the UK. The work they do is often dangerous and challenging, but it was very clear to me that Police Divers are committed to providing the best service to communities they serve. They are often involved in high profile investigations tasked with the recovery of key evidence, searching for missing people or working in collaboration with other agencies such as UK Border Force to support they work they do.

It was a real pleasure to meet with the team and learn more about what they do, and it was clear that their work contributes right across my Police & Crime Plan, through the highly specialised capability the team provides.