York Regional Police’s marine and underwater recovery unit saw a 13.69 per cent increase in calls from 555 in 2021 to 631 in 2022.
The most frequent calls in 2022 came from vessel stops/inspections (212) and vessels in distress (172). There were 39 calls to assist citizens, 14 calls for an injured person, 10 total calls for missing adults/vulnerables, nine calls for impaired operation, and seven calls for fires.
“Our numbers were up in 2022,” Staff Sgt. Aaron Busby said of the marine unit. “It’s a significant increase in calls for service.”
This past year the underwater recovery unit was deployed 11 times, the greatest annual deployment since the unit’s inception. It was deployed five times in relation to human remains, five in relation to evidence recovery, and once at the request of a marine facility.
In 2020, a new deployment strategy was adopted with the underwater recovery unit where the dive team and marine unit were combined. This allowed for there to be an increase from two trained divers to nine in 2022 with six dive supervisors, as opposed to one in 2020.
“We adopted the fact that all marine officers should also be underwater recovery specialists,” said Busby. “We’re the only service in Ontario that has successfully deployed this model.”
The marine unit was established in 1971 and the underwater recovery unit was established in 1982. A new marina was opened in 2020 at Jackson’s Point (57 Lorne St.).
“We’re the benchmark for success for many other police services that have come up and seen this new location,” said Busby.
Patrolling seven days a week, York Regional Police are responsible for nearly 400 square kilometres of the 744 square kilometres of Lake Simcoe. The unit is also responsible for 32 other bodies of water and 11 rivers.
