Police Department Seeks Volunteer Pilots for Air Support Unit by Carl Baker - City News Group, Inc.

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Police Department Seeks Volunteer Pilots for Air Support Unit

By Carl Baker, Community Writer
August 20, 2015 at 11:36am. Views: 19

The Redlands Police Department is recruiting volunteer pilots to participate in its Air Support Unit, Redhawk1. Pilots must be at least 21 years old with at least a private pilot’s license, current medical certificate and a minimum 300 hours flight time in a fixed-wing, general aviation aircraft with significant time in a Cessna 172. Volunteer pilots will be required to pass a background check and interview as well as explain their reason for volunteering and their flight experience. They will also be required to pass a flight test. Those selected must be able to fly at least one 5-hour shift per month and participate in trimester safety meetings. The Air Support Unit, using volunteer pilots, many of whom are retired law enforcement officers, and a specially outfitted Cessna 172 provides patrol and surveillance support to Redlands Police officers and special units on the ground. The Air Support Unit flies between 700 and 1,000 hours a year in a variety of duties, including patrolling the city’s streets, neighborhoods and canyon areas, assisting ground units, and providing surveillance assistance to specialized units. The Air Support Unit also provides support through a mutual aid agreement with the Fontana Police Department. The Air Support Unit serves as a force multiplier, dramatically increasing the crime control effectiveness of the Police Department’s current efforts.

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