Indiana Conservation Officers (ICOs) Logan Hodges and Luke Tincher have successfully completed a rigorous series of advanced public safety diving instructor programs through Dive Rescue International, a globally recognized leader in rescue‑response training.
Their achievements strengthen the readiness and capability of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Law Enforcement scuba team, which plays a critical role in underwater rescue, recovery, and evidence operations statewide.
Hodges, assigned to Crawford County, joined the division in 2014 and became an ICO scuba diver in 2016. Tincher, serving Vermillion County, joined the division in 2021 and began diving in 2023. They now join a statewide scuba team of approximately 40 officers. In 2025 alone, the team completed more than 600 dives, including more than 35 body recoveries, 40 vehicle recoveries, numerous evidence searches, and a wide range of specialized training missions.
All ICO divers undergo an extensive six‑week public safety scuba program that includes Public Safety Diver, Dive Rescue Technician, Drysuit Diving, and Full-Face Mask Diving certifications. Training covers classroom instruction, pool work, open‑water skills, and operational scenario exercises. Additional specialties such as Critical Skills Diver and Rapid Intervention Techniques prepare divers for high‑stress, high‑risk underwater emergencies.
Hodges and Tincher have gone even further, earning certifications as Public Safety Scuba Instructors (PSSI) and Dive Rescue 1 Trainers (DR1T), two of the most demanding instructor‑level programs offered by Dive Rescue International. Each program includes intensive physical and academic requirements, including more than 80 hours of recommended pre‑course study. Graduates are trained to certify new Public Safety Divers and Dive Rescue Specialists within their own agencies, enhancing statewide training capacity and standardization.
Prerequisites for the programs include current rescue certifications, medical training, logged operational dives, and sponsorship by a public safety agency. Both officers also completed Med Dive as part of their progression, and they now look forward to pursuing additional instructor‑level credentials in Drysuit Diving and Full-Face Mask Diving.
Dive Rescue International emphasizes that its instructors are active public safety divers with real‑world operational experience. Their curriculum, used worldwide, equips teams with the knowledge, skills, and equipment guidance needed to respond safely and effectively to the most challenging water‑related incidents.
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