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Special Operations.Com
Los
Angeles Police Department
Air
Support Division (ASD)
The Los Angeles Police Department’s
airborne law enforcement program began with one helicopter
in 1956. Today, the Air Support Division (ASD) is
the largest municipal airborne law enforcement operation
in the world, and boasts the nation’s largest rooftop
heliport. Captain
Michael Hillman is the Commanding Officer
of Air Support Division.
History
The Los Angeles Police Department’s airborne law enforcement
program began with one helicopter in 1956. This helicopter,
a Hiller model 12-c, was used primarily for traffic
patrol of the City’s freeway system and was assigned
to the Traffic Enforcement Division. In 1957, the first
full year of operation, the Helicopter Unit, as
ASD was then called, flew 775 hours.
In 1963, a second helicopter was added to the fleet,
and two years later, a third was added. The fleet
was reduced to two helicopters in 1966 as the result
of a mid-air collision with a local radio station’s
traffic-reporting helicopter. Five people including
the police pilot and tactical flight officer were
killed in the accident, which occurred over Dodger
Stadium.
A turbine powered Bell 206A Jet Ranger was added
to the fleet in 1968. This helicopter significantly
decreased response time. As a result, the Helicopter
Unit began to respond to unusual occurrences and other
police emergencies.
The Helicopter Unit underwent major expansion in
1974 and was officially designated Air Support Division
(ASD). ASD consisted of 77 sworn personnel and had
15 helicopters and a Cessna 210 in its fleet.
The Special Flights Section (SFS) was created
in 1976 to provide surveillance and support for detective
and undercover operations. The SFS has become critical
to narcotics investigations and has been a significant
contributor to the seizure of contraband valued in
the billions of dollars.
The fleet remained virtually unchanged until 1988
when an Aerospatiale AS 350B-1 was added to the fleet.
Today, when at full strength, the fleet consists of:
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Six
Bell Jet Rangers
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Five
Aerospatiale Astars
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UH1H
"Huey" helicopter
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Three
OH-58 military surplus helicopters that are used
for training
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The latest addition to our fleet of helicopters is
the new "state-of-the-art" Bell 407. On
most days, three of them are on line and flying. A
Piper Navajo twin engine airplane is also part of
the current fleet, and we are currently awaiting approval
on 2 military surplus C-12’s (King Airs).
A study commissioned by NASA and conducted by the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s (JPL) Space Technology
Applications Office confirms the importance of the
Air Support Division. Some of the reports findings
are as follows:
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The
number of Part 1 Property Crimes are reduced when
an LAPD helicopter is overhead.
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The
number of arrests associated with radio calls
are three times the norm with the involvement
of LAPD aircrews.
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The
citizens of Los Angeles accept helicopter patrols
as a necessary part of the City’s police system
and strongly favor their continuation.
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Department
ground-based officers (especially those assigned
to patrol and specialized investigative divisions)
universally support a strong airborne law enforcement
program within the Department.
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One of Air Support Division's military surplus
OH-58 helicopters. These helicopters are used
for pilot training and the Special Flight Unit.
Missions
Air Support Division missions are designed exclusively
to achieve Department goals, especially as they relate
to community service and officer safety. Except for
some special operations, ASD missions are conducted
as part of Air Support to Regular Operations (ASTRO)
or as part of the Special Flights Section (SFS).
ASTRO is the "bread and butter"
mission of ASD. Historically, it has generated about
80% of the Division’s flight time. An ASTRO aircrew
is one Command pilot and one Tactical Flight Officer
(TFO). The flight crew observes territorial imperatives
and monitors dispatch frequencies, responding to calls
for service and personal observations based on their
experience as police officers. In effect, ASTRO can
be thought of as a patrol car in flight.
ASTRO missions include supporting:
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Department
field operations, especially geographic patrol
divisions (patrol, CRASH, Special Problems Units,
etc.)
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Immediate
needs of specialized entities (Canine Unit, Bomb
Squad, etc.), command and staff officer transport
to crime scene, priority photo reconnaissance
and more
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City’s
Emergency Operations Center in response to major
disasters, Airborne Damage Assessment Program,
Command and Control, airborne video and video
relay, emergency medical transportation, etc.
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Department
training activities such as Recruit Training,
Police Service Representative training and Sergeant’s
School Training
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Department’s
community-based policing activities such as public
meetings, tours, etc. and "Open House"
events
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Department’s
recruitment activities such as (static) displays
of aircraft, presentations, tours, etc.
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ASTRO is the Department’s "Force Multiplier,"
enabling a smaller work force to complete assigned
and assumed tasks. With an ASTRO aircrew over the
scene:
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Fewer
ground-based officers are required at crime scenes
and perimeters.
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Ground-based
officers have a significantly increased sense
of security.
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Ground-based
officers are kept in tactical advantage and out
of questionable situations.
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Pursuit
management is positive and direct, reducing associated
liabilities.
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Ground-based
officer injuries and deaths are significantly
reduced.
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Benefits of the Force Multiplier effect include more
ground-based officers available for assignment, increased
productivity and personal well-being and reduction
of liability claims against the City.
Selection
and Training for ASD
Air Support Division selects the very best officers
for assignment to ASD.
The requirements to apply for Command Pilot
are a minimum of 5 years with the Department with
at least three years in patrol, and an FAA Private
pilots license with 100 hours of Pilot in Command
time. After our pilots are selected, they complete
approximately six months of intense helicopter training.
While in training, the pilots obtain a commercial
rotorcraft rating from the FAA. Once given their final
check ride as a student from our Chief Pilot, they
are presented with their Command pilot "wings"
from Captain Hale.
The requirements for the position of Tactical
Flight Officer are a minimum of 5 years with the
Department with at least three years in patrol. The
officer is then brought to ASD on a 30-day loan. During
the loan, the officer’s skill level and suitability
as a TFO is evaluated. Once the TFO has proven him/herself
as able to handle the stress involved in managing
pursuits, a complex radio package, perimeters of suspects
involved in felony crimes and locating hard to find
addresses, the TFO is given a final check ride by
our Chief Tactical Flight Officer, then presented
with his or her "wings".
Air Support Division has ongoing training for both
pilots and TFO’s, and check rides for both on a regularly
scheduled basis. In addition, we have ongoing training
that includes but not limited to:
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Over
water rescue training
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Inserting
S.W.A.T. team members into hard to approach locations
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Live
fire fighting from an airborne platform (helicopter)
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The Bell 206 Jet Ranger and a UH-1(background)
on the flight deck at Hooper Memorial Heliport-Air
Support Division. The UH-1, a military surplus
helicopter, is utilized by Air Support for SWAT operations
and training.
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