Topic: Police Divers
BACKGROUND
Within the framework of the Constitution and the Police Act,
the South African Police Service has a responsibility to ensure
the safety of all persons in South Africa, likewise, the use of
police divers is common practice in most of the respected police
agencies. SAPS divers have an obligation to perform their duties
consistently with the new Diving Regulation ( 2001), promulgated
on 7 January 2002. The manner in which these divers perform
their duties is also regulated by the Occupational Health and
Safety Act, (Act 85 of 1993).
Police divers nationally , deal with an average of
approximately 1000 dive operations annually. The aim of this
Division is to ensure the optimal utilization of police divers,
thereby ensuring that an effective and efficient service is
rendered to the community.
FUNCTIONS
Police Divers perform this function as a secondary function
on a voluntary basis. This is coupled with the fact that these
functions are demanding and performed under dangerous
circumstances. Police divers are required to exhibit true
dedication, commitment and enthusiasm in fulfilling a task which
is not always rewarding but can be considered very stressful.
The following functions are performed by police divers:-
- conduct search and recovery operations in an attempt to
recover bodies submerged in water (including drowned victims);
- search and recovery of exhibits submerged in water,
(including surface searches);
- perform crime prevention operations in and on water,
focusing on water safety, including policing activities at
organised water sport/recreational events;
- assistance rendered in the investigation of crime related
to police diving or at water sport/ recreational events;
- provide assistance during cross border search and recovery
operations.
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SELECTION CRITERIA
Any person who is a functional police official and adheres to
the following criteria, may apply for training as a police
diver:-
- he/she must meet the requirements set out in the Diving
Regulations;
- must hold the rank of Captain and lower;
- be willing to sign an undertaking to dive for at least
five years;
- be physically and medically fit; and
- must be in possession of a valid drivers licence and be
authorised to drive State vehicles.
PRACTICAL TEST
| |
ACTIVITY |
CONDITION (with minimum rest between
activities) |
| 1. |
Swim 300 metres |
freestyle within 15 minutes |
| 2. |
Swim 100 metres |
backstroke |
| 3. |
Swim 25 metres |
at a depth of at least 2 metres under
water with no apparatus from standing start |
| 4. |
Do drown proofing |
for 15 minutes, combination of dead man’s
float, bobbing, floating and treading water |
| 5. |
Recover half-kilogram object |
from 2-3 metres of water(Note: A basic
explanation of ear barotrauma and equalization is required
before this activity) |
| 6. |
Jump into the water |
from a height of 3 metres, without
blocking the nose |
| 7. |
Tow a person |
in water, of equal size, 20 metres |
| 8. |
Breath Hold |
20 seconds, head under water |
| 9. |
Water entries |
Giant stride, backward roll, entry from
height of 3 metres, walk in |
| 10 |
Snorkel swim |
Swim 50 metres with snorkel only |
| 11. |
Mask and Snorkel |
Snorkeling and clear snorkel, blast
method and displacement -method |
| 12. |
Flooded mask |
Swim 50 metres with flooded mask |
| 13. |
Diver assistance |
Tired diver tow, tired diver carry, tired
diver push |
NB: IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THE ABOVE, APPLICANTS WILL BE
MEDICALLY EXAMINED BY A DESIGNATED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER AND
DECLARED FIT BEFORE UNDERGOING TRAINING AS POLICE DIVER.
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TRAINING
All applicants must take cognisance of the six weeks training
course, which comprises the following:
- both theory and practical aspects of police diving;
- personal swimming development skills and fitness;
- gaining knowledge in legislation, policies and all
instructions applicable to police diving; especially the new
diving regulations;
- knowledge on how to deal with water related incidents;
- knowledge on the use and handling of diving equipment;
- operational procedures in managing water related
incidents.
EMPLOYMENT EQUITY
For purpose of addressing representivity, those members
interested in the above field, but lack the necessary swimming
skills, will be afforded the opportunity to undergo the swimming
orientation bridging programme. Successful candidates will
therefore be expected to fulfill the requirements in terms of
the selection criteria prior to his/ her selection for training
as a police diver.
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