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U.S.R.T.
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Picture
09/27/01
Top
Row: David Verity, Steven
Fernandez, Steven Nelson, David Thompson, Ray Gallucci, Steven Branch, Al
Valliere
Bottom Row: Kyle Kettelle,
Andrew Tainsh, Sam Maldonado, Dale Drowne.
Not pictured: Brad Connor
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The Origins of the Warwick
Police Department Dive team started in 1956. All police related diving relied on a volunteer diver
named, Sherrard “Knobby” Lindell who was also employed by the city of
Warwick in the Public Works Department.
Mr. Lindell, who was an accomplished diver, performed in this
capacity for over 30 years conducting several recoveries. |
Sherrard
A. Lindell
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The
“plank owner” retired Sgt. Ray Wells,
giving instruction to Officer Drowne prior
to going under the ice. Ray
is now a
full time scuba instructor.
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The Warwick Police
Department Underwater Search and Recovery Team was formed in the summer of
1988 by Sgt. Ray Wells. The
original team consisted of 20 divers who attained certification over a
6-month period before becoming fully activated.
Since that time the U.S.R.T. has performed numerous recovery
operations for the Warwick Police Department, other municipalities,
Department of Environmental Management and federal agencies including U.S.
Customs, and Drug Enforcement Administration.
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The mission of the
Warwick Police Department dive team is to conduct underwater crime scene
investigations and evidence recovery.
The team is trained in specialized areas of diving including
vehicle and aircraft recovery, ice diving, and hull search operations.
The U.S.R.T. was recently selected and trained by the United States
Coast Guard to perform helicopter rescue operations for capsized vessels. |
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U.S.R.T.
helicopter operations with U.S.C.G.
Currently
the team is headed by Lt. Ray Gallucci who supervises 11 divers.
Members of the U.S.R.T. are full time police officers with a
minimum of one year of police experience.
Divers are certified in law enforcement recovery, ice, hull search
and rescue diving. Several
members have also attained Dive Master rating.
Dive Team Training Officer Detective Steven Branch, who is an
active State Bomb Squad Technician, is also certified in handling
underwater explosive devices. The
team is equipped with customary search and recovery equipment including
Viking dry suits, Interspiro full-face masks and O.T.S. underwater
communications.
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Above illustrates diving in challenging
conditions. Hull search performed
for U.S. Customs in January, in rainy conditions at 2300
hours in the evening.
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In 1992, the
Maritime Assault Team was formed. The
team was comprised of officers who possessed dual membership with the
S.W.A.T team and U.S.R.T. The
purpose of this team was to provide tactical maritime response to
incidents located on or near Warwick’s estimated 38 miles of coastline.
Warwick Police hosted a maritime training seminar with instructors
from U.S. Navy Special Warfare.
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Seminar photo of 1992 maritime
training-guest instructor Rudy Boesch of "Survivor" fame is
pictured in the lower right. |
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