County’s police diving units merged (From Gazette & Herald)

County’s police diving units merged

11:57am Wednesday 19th September 2012 in News

A YORKSHIRE-wide merger of police diving units across the county has been launched.

The merger between North Yorkshire Police, Humberside Police, South Yorkshire Police and West Yorkshire Police aims to save the county’s forces £400,000 a year by reducing the number of divers from 28 to 10. This money is set to be ploughed back into protecting local frontline resources.

North Yorkshire Police will retain its contracted service with its West Yorkshire counterparts, and all 10 divers who remain under the shake-up will be full-time, as opposed to the current system which has five full-time divers.

The newly-formed Yorkshire and the Humber Underwater Search and Marine Unit, which will be based in Humberside, will launch with a demonstration dive at Hull Marina today (Wednesday).