**** RCMP Media Release
The Nova Scotia RCMP’s Underwater Recovery Team (URT) responds to calls 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
The divers, all trained investigators, collect and document evidence from ponds, lakes, rivers and the ocean. This specialized work takes place in a variety of conditions, often in remote areas of the province.
“Every single URT operation is different,” says team leader Sgt. Mark Bishop, who’s been a recreational diver for 34 years and an RCMP diver for 17.
“The most challenging part of the job is always the logistics; there’s a lot of pre-planning before our divers hit the water.”
URT members look for missing people, conduct ship searches, do security sweeps of piers and vessels, and support industrial and aviation accident investigations. URT divers also regularly assist other police agencies and government departments.
“A successful search or recovery is always rewarding,” says Sgt. Bishop. “We’re often able to bring closure to the families of people who’ve been reported missing.
And with evidence searches, a recovery can be the key to advancing an investigation or prosecution.”
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In 1972, seven RCMP officers became certified scuba divers; the Cape Breton group – which served as the Nova Scotia RCMP’s first unofficial URT – was known as the Scarlet Divers. The Nova Scotia RCMP’s URT, the second oldest in Canada, celebrated its 50th anniversary this year.
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