Sonoma County Sheriff Volunteer Dive Team

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Sonoma County Sheriff Volunteer Dive Team

The Sonoma County Sheriff's Dive Team is an all volunteer group of public safety divers.

01/25/2026

Members from our team wrapped up an intense (and awesome) week completing the Underwater Crime Scene Technician I & II course with Dive Rescue International - Public Safety

Five full days of classroom time, pool work, and real-world open water scenarios focused on underwater evidence recovery and crime scene processing. From photography and videography underwater, to search patterns, vehicle and body recovery, and evidence preservation, this course was all about doing things the right way, even in the toughest conditions.

It was challenging, technical, and incredibly rewarding, serving as a great reminder of how much teamwork and attention to detail go into every investigation below the surface.

Huge thanks to our instructors Tom Champaign, Jeff Morgan, Mike Bushnell and Ryan Smith for sharing their knowledge, experience, and high standards throughout the week. Also grateful to train alongside a solid group of dedicated professionals from Alameda Fire Department, CONTRA COSTA SHERIFF-OFFICIAL PAGE, San Francisco Police Department, Oakland Police Department Sonoma County Sheriff Volunteer Dive Team,

Photos below give a small glimpse into the training.

12/09/2025

Public Safety Dive Training, Southern Channel Islands.

Huge shoutout to all the agencies who joined us for this intensive (40+ hour) Public Safety Dive Training course, with a special thanks to SFPD for their support and partnership.

Represented agencies:
• SFPD
• Monterey County Sheriff’s Office
• Oakland PD
• Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office
• Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office
• Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Here’s a little preview of our four days aboard a live-aboard dive vessel Peace Boat out of Ventura, CA, divers pushed their limits through online classes, briefings, in-water skill development, testing and real-world scenarios designed to enhance proficiency, confidence, and safety.

From Night, Deep, Boat, Full-Face, Dry Suit, and Enriched Air training to hands-on Emergency Dive Accident Management (EDAM), students gained critical knowledge to prevent public safety dive accidents and strengthen their teams knowledge for real world recovery incidents.

By course completion, divers who met all requirements earned multiple PADI specialty ratings and the PADI Master Scuba Diver certification.

Proud of everyone who showed up, trained hard, and elevated the standards of public safety diving.

Thanks to the Peace Boat Crew that kept us feed and dive masters for passing along their knowledge.

07/28/2025

How we spent this weekend 😢

07/18/2025

Please, please, please put us out of a job and wear a life jacket

07/16/2025

📢 A Message from the Sheriff — Un mensaje del sheriff 📢

[En español abajo]
After the tragic loss of two lives to drowning on the Russian River this past weekend, we’re urging everyone to stay safe while enjoying our local waterways. Conditions can change quickly — even familiar spots can become dangerous.

⚠️ 🌊 🛟 Summer Water Safety Tips:
✔️ Wear a life jacket — even if you're a strong swimmer
✔️ Never swim alone
✔️ Stay sober in and around water
✔️ Know your limits
✔️ Watch for strong currents and hidden hazards

For Sonoma County beaches, lifeguard locations and more water safety information, visit: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/swimming
~
Tras la trágica pérdida de dos vidas por ahogamiento en el río Russian el pasado fin de semana, instamos a todos a que mantengan la seguridad mientras disfrutan de nuestras vías fluviales locales. Las condiciones pueden cambiar rápidamente, incluso los lugares más conocidos pueden volverse peligrosos.

⚠️ 🌊 🛟 Consejos de seguridad acuática para el verano:
✔️ Lleve un chaleco salvavidas, incluso si es un buen nadador.
✔️ Nunca nade solo.
✔️ No consuma alcohol en el agua ni cerca de ella.
✔️ Conozca sus límites.
✔️ Esté atento a las corrientes fuertes y los peligros ocultos.

Para obtener información sobre las playas del condado de Sonoma, la ubicación de los socorristas y más información sobre seguridad en el agua, visite: https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/play/swimming

07/15/2025

These tragedies are 100% preventable. Don’t go in the water unless 1) you know how to swim and 2) have a life jacket.

02/03/2025

Come winter, summer or fall, rain or shine the Sonoma County Sheriff’s dive team is always prepared.

Our team completed a training session this weekend, ensuring every member stays sharp and mission-ready. Each diver suited up in team and personal gear, practiced search techniques, and re-familiarized themselves with operating in dry suits and specialized equipment.

The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Dive Team trains monthly to maintain safety, efficiency, and preparedness—so when the call comes, we’re ready.

A big thank you to our dedicated team for their commitment to keeping our community safe! 💙

12/08/2024

Today, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Dive Team conducted training with the AQUAEYE® by VodaSafe—the world’s first mobile search and rescue sonar powered by artificial intelligence.

AQUAEYE® uses advanced sonar tech to locate human bodies underwater, even in poor visibility or polluted waters. This innovative tool enhances the ability to respond to water related recoveries, making our missions faster and more efficient.

Proud to stay at the forefront of technology to keep our community safe! 💙

07/05/2024

Search for missing swimmer in the Russian River continues.

At approximately 6:17 PM on July 3rd, 2024, we received a 911 call that a man had been swimming near Villa Grande on the Russian River. Deputies and Sonoma County Fire District personnel arrived and began searching for the missing man.

Despite an extensive initial search, Deputies were unable to locate him. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Marine Unit, Sonoma County Sheriff Volunteer Dive Team, and Monte Rio Fire responded to help. The search was suspended at dark for safety concerns and resumed in the morning once it was light out.

On July 4th, 2024, the Sheriff’s Office Marine unit resumed the search for the missing man at sunrise and continued through the day. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and Dive Team were joined by the Marine Unit to aid in the search with their remote-operated underwater vehicle. Again, the search was suspended in the dark due to safety concerns.

The search will resume at sunrise today, July 5th, with additional help from the Napa County Sheriff’s Office marine unit.

As additional details become available, updates will be posted via Sonoma Sheriff FB page.

Thank you to and Monte Rio Fire for their continued support during this search.

Case No: 240703-019
Media Inquiries: (707) 565-3941

07/03/2024

🌊☀️ As Sonoma County heats up and we dive into lakes, rivers, and pools, let's keep safety top of mind! Whether you're splashing with the family or hitting the waves solo, remember these tips:

💦 Always watch kids around water.
💦 Wear a life jacket and buddy up—never swim alone!
💦 Stay cool with shade, sunscreen, and LOTS of water.

Find some great locations to get some relief from the heat AND get the lowdown on the River Shuttle and Free Loaner Lifejacket program at https://parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit.

06/15/2024

📢 Training Exercise at Bedarra Vineyards! 🍇

We'd like to extend a huge thank you to the amazing owners of for graciously allowing us to use their beautiful pond for our recent training session. 🙏

Check out this behind-the-scenes footage of our dive team suiting up and doing safety checks! 🤿🌊

During this exercise, we placed an object underwater and had our team topside using sonar feeds to guide our divers to the target.

This drill was crucial for two reasons:
1️⃣ To enhance our ability to identify objects underwater using our sonar gear.

2️⃣ To improve our team communication skills, ensuring precise directions from the surface to our divers below.

It's teamwork and training like this that help us stay prepared for real-life situations. Thank you for your support, Sonoma County! 🌟

04/15/2024

Teenager drowns in Russian River.

At approximately 4:40 PM on April 11, 2024, we received a 911 call that two teenagers had been swept into the Russian River from Steelhead Beach. Deputies, along with Sonoma County Fire District personnel arrived and began searching for the missing teenagers. After speaking with witnesses, it was determined one of the teenagers was able to get out of the water on their own and was later transported to a local hospital.

Given that initial searches for the other teen were unsuccessful, the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Marine Unit, Henry-One, Sonoma County Sheriff Volunteer Dive Team , Graton Fire Department, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Santa Rosa Police's Drone Team, Napa County Sheriff's Office Motor Unit, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife responded to help. The search was suspended at 11:00 PM, and would resume in the morning once it was light out.

On April 12, 2024, the search for the missing teenager continued at sunrise. The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit and the Dive Team were joined by Napa County Sheriff’s Office's Marine Unit, Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office's Marine Unit and Sonoma County Regional Parks. At approximately 10:30 AM the teenager was located by an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operated by Napa County Sheriff’s Office. We were able to recover the body from the water and are working on confirming the identity the teen.

We want to offer our sincerest condolences to the victim’s family during this difficult time.

We also want to thank all the agencies who aided with the search.

Case No: 240411017
Media Inquiries: (707) 565-3941

Address

1583 Spinnaker Dr
Santa Rosa, CA
93001

Website

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fqp6jtazb1azln9/Dive-Team-App.pdf?dl=0

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