Dive Team Photos

A component of the Emergency Services Unit, the Dive Team consists of officers who are specially trained to conduct crime scene investigations by locating and retrieving evidence in challenging underwater conditions. Unique equipment and a focus on teamwork have combined to create a unit that is capable of expanding the department's investigative activities into more than just areas of dry land. The Dive Team partners with other agencies including Harbor Patrol, Fire/Lifeguards and regional law enforcement for training.

Here are some photos from Dive Team training and exercises.

Get to Know Lt. Colleen McMahon!

Lt. McMahon has distinguished herself during the course of her over 22 years at the Santa Cruz Police Department. Currently, she leads the Emergency Services Unit Dive Team, oversees our Traffic Section and has played a significant role in hiring some of the great officers at our department over the last five years. We sat down with Lt. McMahon so you could learn more about her!

What is your favorite secret spot in Santa Cruz?

Lt. McMahon: Lower Delaveaga foot paths through the Redwoods. It is beautiful, cool and peaceful.

 

Tell us about your favorite TV shows and movies.

Lt. McMahon: TV Show: The Biggest Loser - People who are willing to make sacrifices for positive personal change.

Movie: Pay it Forward - People who make a positive difference for others without expecting anything in return.

What is the best part about living in Santa Cruz?

Lt. McMahon: The choice of micro-climates and terrain including the ocean for outdoor activities. You can usually count on fog in the morning for comfortable long runs.

What is your most memorable case and/or arrest you’ve been involved in?

Lt. McMahon: In general, remembering people I’ve contacted before and helping them remain accountable to themselves, their families and the community through enforcement actions and contact on the street. I cited a teenager downtown years ago. Before releasing him, I talked to his parent on the cell phone. The parent said that they didn’t want their child downtown unsupervised and asked me to send the child home. I saw the same teenager several days later downtown with some friends at a fast food business. I called the parent on the cell phone. The parent said the child was supposed to be at the movies on the other end of Pacific Avenue. I walked in to the business, handed my cell phone to the teenager and let his parent tell him to come home. I didn’t see him downtown again, hopefully because he realized that someone knew him and his parents and it wasn’t worth being called on it. Sometimes people need encouragement to make the right choices.  

Tell us a little about your background in and out of SCPD:

Lt. McMahon: I grew up in the Midwest (inner city Chicago and small college town in Iowa) before moving to the West Coast in high school. I was a Chinese-Mandarin translator in the Army before working for SCPD. I’ve been able to work Patrol, Street Crimes (NET), Investigations, School Resource Officer, Internal Affairs and Community Services at the SCPD over the past 22 ½ years.   

Where is your favorite vacation spot?

Lt. McMahon: Right here is my favorite vacation spot.

Most importantly, what are you most proud of?

Lt. McMahon: That my children are committed to public service in their careers. My daughter is a Detective for the city of Marina and my son is currently an emergency dispatcher for NETCOM. I know that, even though it is often a difficult job, they will continue to experience the fulfillment that accompanies it.

Santa Cruz Police Dive Team

Article by Lt. Colleen McMahon

What happens when a suspect attempts to hide the evidence of his/her crime by tossing it into the murky waters of the Monterey Bay? If people think items will be hidden forever once they disappear below the surface, they are wrong. The Emergency Services Unit Dive Team consists of officers who are specially trained and equipped to enter the dangerous environment underwater.

Divers must be physically fit and comfortable in the water. Search patterns and communication equipment also become an integral part of the team’s strategy. Techniques must be adaptable to open ocean conditions, river currents and other water environments.

Once evidence is located, it must be appropriately documented and recovered. Items can range in size from a knife to a motor vehicle. Each situation will require specialized knowledge and equipment.

Dive Team officers attend training sessions regularly. They must maintain and sharpen their ability to conduct search operations as a team within an environment that severely limits normal communication and is extremely hazardous due to the requirement for special survival gear. This includes SCUBA gear and, in the very cold waters of the Monterey Bay, drysuits to protect divers from the debilitating effects of the cold temperatures. Diving around the Santa Cruz Wharf requires a high level of comfort with low-light diving, surging currents, and errant fishing lines. Divers must work as a team to keep each other safe while accomplishing their search and recovery mission.

The Santa Cruz Police ESU Dive Team is just another way we are working to keep our community safe!