The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free

First Police Frogmen Unit
The first official police frogmen in the South West don fins for a demonstration.
In partnership with:

Overview
A reporter interviews the Chief Inspector of Devon County Constabulary while police frogmen and divers search the river as part of their training. The first Police Frogmen Unit in the South West is launched at Peters Marland in Exeter, Devon. The small force is dependent on a group of volunteers who have been kitted out with new police equipment. Historically, police forces used to depend on Royal Navy combat divers or rescue divers from the British Sub-Aqua Club.
In March 1961 the first Metropolitan Police Frogman Unit was set up in London and other parts of the country followed suit. The all too familiar scenes on the news or in crime dramas highlight the importance of this service for search and rescue, fingertip combing of underwater crime scenes, drugs hauls, anti-terrorism operations, ordnance retrieval and disposal and general maritime law enforcement. Operations are carried out on the nation’s lakes, rivers, sewers or seas in often hostile conditions including at night, in adverse weather, with difficulties including poor visibility and occasional toxic environments. Devon County Constabulary amalgamated with Exeter, Cornwall and Plymouth in 1967.
Related

New Perspectives: Fish Tank New Perspectives: Fish Tank
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Adam Smith of Northumbria University explains why Andrea Arnold's coming-of-age story, about a girl who uses dance to escape, is his favourite film on BFI Player.

New Perspectives: Pusher New Perspectives: Pusher
Short documentary 2025 5 mins
Noah Ball of Northumbria University explains why you should seize the chance to watch Nicolas Winding Refn's debut.

Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A Twin Peaks star Kyle MacLachlan on working with David Lynch - Q&A
Inside Film 2025 38 mins
Kyle MacLachlan talks to BFI CEO Ben Roberts about working with David Lynch on the legendary series Twin Peaks.

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.

Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.

All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.