Dive Team

Purpose of the Unit:

The Lafayette Police Department teams up with the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department to form the Tippecanoe County Dive Team.  The team trains to rescue people in swift water surface rescues and recovery, underwater rescues and recovery, and evidence recovery in water.  The team is also heavily involved in the Project Lifesaver Project (PLS) to track and find missing autistic and Alzheimer patients that have been equipped with a transmitter beacon.  

The community has a vast drainage network and water sheds including the Wabash River that runs through Lafayette and West Lafayette.  The Tippecanoe County Dive team is comprised of members from the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, Lafayette Police Department, Tippecanoe County Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), and the Wea Township Fire Department. The Tippecanoe County Dive Team also works with the Lafayette Fire Department Dive Team.  

 Equipment:

1 18 foot Johnson watercraft boat, 1 Zodiac watercraft, trucks to pull trailers, compressed air tanks, reserve compressed air tanks, regulators, agua masks, buoyancy control devices, wet suits, dry suits, cold water rescue suits, life vests, helmets, waters hoes, throw bags and ropes.  

Training:

The dive team trains at least 7 times a year, 8 hours each training day for a total of at least 56 hours a year.  The team members are all certified with PADI and International Rescue Diver certifications.  

Roster: