very interesting post to read being as sitting on my desk right now is an application for my local Sheriff's Office Dive team (volunteer team)
What I know of our local team is this: Volunteer, Mandatory training (don't know how offten, but it states on the application willing to train no matter what the conditions) theres currently 12 people on it, I would say an average sized county for Oregon, They don't have much equipment yet (6sets of gear all signed out to divers currently).
I do know that the Sgt. In charge told me they will work with me, if I have to rent gear or whatever, being as you pretty much need gear since they don't currently have enough. You only need to be OW certified... Which I'm waiting to finish certification till applying (1week till OW dives) and thats about it. Though OW cert is all thats required I'm allready planning to get to rescue diver (PADI) as soon as I can, possibly able to get Adv OW right after OW cert.
I plan to join the team for many reasons. 1 is I eventually want to be a full time Deputy at this agency (after school) and what better way to get known than joining the Dive team (esspecially since I'm going to be on the Reserves (Volunteer Deputies) as well) 2 its a good way to meet 12 other divers in the area 3 I get dive practice/training in (be it fun or not its still experince and training) 4 it looks good on a resume
5 I like helping my community etc. Sounds like a good way to do that to me
Also I talked to a former Rescue Diver/ Current Police Officer and one of the employees about it at my LDS They said often what does happen, and if it does start to happen I will quit the team. Is that many guys get involved in the Dive Team, and lose interest in Rec. Diving.. they being only doing Dive Team dives and never dive for fun any more. Not sure why that is... maybe they get tired of all the training dives and decide to only go diving when they must. If I get to that point, I will quit the dive in a heart beat and then go find the best dive site I can and hit it as soon as I can to get back into the Joys of diving.
Anyways, Great reading all the comments being as I do want to join my Local Dive Team,