Who We Are
The National Academy of Police Diving (NAPD) is a non-profit, self-regulating body, dedicated to helping Special Response Dive Teams be successful. SR Divers include police, fire, military, government agency teams, and other recovery or public safety divers. The NAPD is concerned with SR diver safety, and seeks to improve that safety with state-of-the-art diving techniques, training, methodologies, and underwater investigations. The NAPD’s goals are to promote the safety and welfare of all Special Response Divers who engage in underwater search and recovery.
The NAPD, was formed in 1988 by a group of full-time police divers to establish a national standard for police and public safety diver training and certification. It has provided training to police officers, fire departments, military divers, and environmental investigators throughout North America, Central America, South America, Russia, Australia, the Caribbean, and the Philippines.
These NAPD trained divers are found in places like the Longview Fire Department, Tampa Police Department, The US Boarder Patrol, The Miami-Dade Police Department, Texas Task Force 1, the Bermuda Royal Military, South Carolina State Guard, and many other government and private organizations.
Our Team

MICHAEL GAST
President and Founder

JORDAN HARVELL
Executive Director

JOEL TALLEY
Board of Directors and Operations Advisor

PAUL TOY
Board of Directors and Co-Founder

REY RUIDIAZ
Board of Directors
SAMUEL CADREAU
Board of Directors