North West Underwater Search Team
North West Underwater Search Team
Specialist Police Diving and Recovery Operations
The North West Underwater Search Team is a dedicated police diving unit providing expert underwater search, recovery, and evidence-gathering capabilities in support of major investigations and public safety operations.
Covering the North West region of England, our team operates in partnership with local police forces, emergency services, and national agencies. We are trained to work in the most demanding environments—from murky rivers and canals to deep reservoirs and fast-moving tidal waters.
Our Core Functions
- Underwater Evidence Recovery: Locating and recovering weapons, vehicles, stolen property, or other items linked to criminal investigations.
- Missing Person Searches: Assisting in high-priority cases involving persons believed to have entered the water.
- Counter-Terrorism Support: Providing underwater search capacity for protective security operations.
- Disaster Response: Deployed during flooding or water-related incidents requiring underwater access and clearance.
- Specialist Training and Support: Delivering underwater search training and advice to police forces across the UK.
Highly Trained Professionals
Our officers are not only fully qualified divers but also experienced police personnel trained in:
- Swift water rescue
- Confined space diving
- Forensic evidence handling
- Submerged vehicle recovery
- Use of sonar and specialist dive equipment
Safety, precision, and operational integrity are at the heart of everything we do.
Working in Partnership
The North West Underwater Search Team is a regional resource that regularly collaborates with:
- Regional Major Crime Units
- Homicide and CID teams
- Counter-terrorism units
- HM Coroner and forensic pathologists
- Fire and Rescue services
- Coastguard and RNLI
Contact and Deployment
Access to the North West Underwater Search Team is managed through operational policing channels. If you are a police officer or partner agency needing underwater search support, please refer to your force control room or regional coordination protocol.
