With this paper and by summarizing the subject related to the powers and activities of police officers of the Special Police, with the highest quality we tend to explain and give answers to questions related to the use of Special Police divers during a search for a missing person. The paper systematically analyze training processes of the Special Police divers, issues related to the planning and command in the Special Police system as well as "classifications" of diving, diving equipment and divers according to assignment and the level of their training. The largest part of the paper, in terms of its scope, takes analysis of water area search schemes. In writing this paper we take into account the distinction between the concepts of search and rescue about what readers are advised specifically. The rescue is undertaken when it is believed that the missing person (e.g. a diver) is alive, which is possible in case when a diver has enough air, even when he is trapped and / or injured in the water. During the rescue the decisions are made quickly, and a great risk is taken in order to save human life. The search is being done when it is considered, with a high degree of probability, that the missing person is no longer alive. In such cases the task of searching is to find a body of a dead person, where particularly important is logical and precise planning and selection of ways and tactics of search in relation to the facts or indications which are at disposal. Another distinction, which we point to, is done in relation to search on the water surfaces and in the water area. This paper deals with the search for a missing person in the water area, therefore in the water mass, below the water surface, which is usually carried out with the help of specially trained divers of the Special Police. The searching on the water surface is consist of combinatory of means for the water surface search (e.g. by boats or ships, bypassing the coast on foot and using airplanes or helicopters), which is not the subject of analysis in this paper. The third question or circumstance on which we want to warn is the fact that the leader of diving undertaken in order to search for a missing person is not a police officer of the Special Police who received notification about person missing. Based on previously collected data, indications and facts, and produced search plan for a missing person which has been made by the police officer of the Criminal Police, he will compose a precise plan of searching for a missing person in the water area. In the notes below the line the paper is illustrated by the Croatian casuistics intended to facilitate the reader to understand the processes and methods as well as techniques of searching in the water area with the purpose of searching for a missing person under water.
