The Augusta Department of Public Safety DIVE Team was established in 2006. The department saw a need in Butler County to have a highly trained DIVE team, as Butler County is home to the State's largest recreational lake - El Dorado Lake. In addition, several other ponds, streams, rivers and waterways lend to a need for a team capable of rescuing or recovering victims from these waters.
The Augusta Department of Public Safety is lucky to have more than sixteen divers on the DIVE team. These include divers who have attained certification levels from basic open water, to rescue diver, to master scuba diver trainer. The team is led by Chief Tyler Brewer and has been very active in the area since its inception.
The DIVE team has been involved in rescue operations, recovery operatons and law enforcement investigations. Some of the more notable law enforcement investigations include the Jodi Sanderholm murder in Cowley County, Kansas in 2007, and assisting with a search for evidence in the Carol Mould murder in Butler County, Kansas in 2004.
The DIVE team trains regularly and is available to assist other agencies if needed. The team has primarily been trained by a local scuba shop, Amber Waves Diving Company and Scuba Shop, which is based in Augusta. The shop being locally owned and operated ensures the team has access to the latest and best training and equipment available.
