Dedicated To Underwater Forensics
The Underwater Forensics & Educational Foundation (UFEF) was founded by experienced public safety divers to continue the search when other are unable to. We fill the critical gap in underwater operations—supporting investigations, recovering victims, and finding the evidence that matters to investigators. Our fully volunteer team bring decades of real-world expertise and a deep commitment to helping families and investigators find answers they need.
Dedicated To
Public Safety Diver Education & Support
The Underwater Forensics & Educational Foundation (UFEF) was founded with the goal to not only perform underwater forensic work but to support Public Safety Diver education through training opportunities that most teams and divers would not normally receive or have the resources to acquire.
Our Mission
The mission of UFEF is to support the professional development of public safety divers through specialized educational opportunities, while conducting expert underwater forensic searches and recoveries to aid investigations and bring closure to families. We believe in advancing skill, professionalism, and readiness across the public safety diving community.
Extending the Reach of Public Safety Diving
From supplementing dive teams with critical personal or running full-scale independent recovery operations, UFEF is a nationwide resource for law enforcement, state agencies, and federal investigators. We provide expert underwater forensics investigations and recoveries.
Critical manpower and leadership when dive teams need backup.
Educational programs and resources for divers and agencies.
Operational support for cold cases, complex recoveries, and evidence searches.
Always Learning. Always Advancing.
Through our Education Department, UFEF offers specialized training in dive knowledge, operational standards, and professional conduct. We ensure divers are prepared for the physical, technical, and legal demands of forensic recovery work—so every mission is completed safely, efficiently, and with respect for victims and evidence.
PUBLIC SAFETY DIVER
Global Hall of Fame
These are the divers we learned from—the mentors, leaders, and pioneers whose work in the field continues to guide our mission today. Their experience, sacrifice, and professionalism set the foundation for everything we do, ensuring each operation we take on is rooted in proven knowledge and hard-earned expertise.
Mark Philips
Corporal Robert Teather
Sergeant Mike Berry
Steve J. Linton
Martin “Marty” Klein
Driven By Purpose, Guided By Experience
Every mission we take on is more than just a dive—it’s a promise to see the search through to the end. We know the stakes: a grieving family waiting for answers, an investigation hinging on evidence, a community seeking closure. Our work is fueled by the belief that no case should be left unresolved, and no victim forgotten. This commitment is what unites our divers, our partners, and our supporters across the nation.
