Operations
15
Motorcycle Unit
The Motorcycle Unit is responsible for patrolling El Dorado County’s portion of the Sacramento Placerville Transportation Corridor, which extends from the Sacramento County line to Camino. The unit consists of nine deputies and four motorcycles. Two Zero FX electric motorcycles were acquired to quietly access areas along the rail corridor that cannot be reached by patrol car.
Deputies patrol the corridor to prevent illegal activities such as trespassing, illegal camping, vandalism, dumping and unauthorized motor vehicle use. This year, deputies contacted over 500 persons and issued 26 warnings.
Deputies of the Motorcycle Unit work closely with the Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Team as much of the criminal activity along the corridor is related to transients.
Dive & Recovery Unit
The Dive Team consists of ten deputies and one
sergeant who are dedicated to always
improving their skills. Team members are sent
to several professional and public safety
training courses in order to conduct water
rescues and perform recovery operations
utilizing the latest technology and equipment.
The Dive Team performs underwater searches
for the recovery of evidence, swift-water rescue,
high-angle/cliff operations and is responsible
for the recovery of drowning victims.
Divers are called upon to perform these tasks
in the many diverse water environments that
exist in El Dorado County. From the deep, cold
waters of Lake Tahoe and the abundant high-
country lakes of the Sierras, to the surging
waters of the Consumnes River and South Fork
of the American River. In addition to the varied
environments of El Dorado County, the Dive
Team routinely responds throughout the State
of California to assist other agencies through
the California Office of Emergency Services Law
Enforcement Mutual Aid System.
The Dive Team utilizes both SCUBA gear and
surface-supplied breathing equipment. The
team also has a remotely-operated
submersible vehicle, underwater lifting
equipment, inflatable boats, and a multitude of
rope and mountaineering gear. This year, the
Dive Team replaced their aging dive computers
with new wireless dive computers for increased
safety and interoperability.
In 2018, the Dive Team performed several
missions, including the search and recovery of
a male who had entered a large diameter water
outlet pipe in Jenkinson Lake. This provides
most of the drinking water for El Dorado County
and the male had entered the main pipe leading
into the drinking water treatment plant. The
Dive Team recommended shutting down the
water treatment plant to keep the rescue
operation from tainting the water source.
El Dorado County Fire and Sacramento Metro
Fire Technical Rescue Unit also assisted. .
The Dive Team also located and recovered the
body and vehicle of a SMUD security guard who
had inadvertently driven into Junctio Reservoir,
just below Union Valley Dam. During the
summer the Dive Team assisted Douglas
County Sheriff and South Lake Tahoe Police
with the search and recovery of a drowning
victim in Lake Tahoe. The man had jumped from
a boat and disappeared under the water
seconds later.