Aviation

Overview

There are six Aviation Patrol Units across Pennsylvania. Though helicopters and airplanes fly routine patrol in the entire coverage area, the hangars are situated such that should an aircraft be at the assigned airport location, response time anywhere in a patrol zone is within approximately thirty minutes. No unit aircraft is restricted to a particular area, with aircraft and crew ready to assist anywhere in the Commonwealth, should the need arise. Any municipal, state or federal law enforcement agency can contact the units directly for assistance, or the Department Watch Center at 877-777-3375.

History and mission

The Pennsylvania State Police entered the law enforcement aviation community by legislative decree in the fall of 1968. In 1969, two Bell Model 47 Helicopters were purchased, and six pilots were assigned to the Section. Since then, the Section has grown to over thirty trooper pilots and full-time mechanics, using six helicopters and two airplanes statewide. The Aviation Section of the Pennsylvania State Police provides aerial support to all federal, state and local law enforcement agencies within the Commonwealth, as well as assisting in other non-emergency situations, including major civic and sporting events. In addition to general air patrol work, the Department receives hundreds of requests for assistance annually from the 1,200 sworn law enforcement agencies in the Commonwealth’s sixty-seven counties. 

Helicopter and airplane pilots, stationed out of six Aviation Patrol Units across the state, log thousands of hours of flight time a year on missions including, but not limited to: conducting searches and rescues; assisting in vehicle pursuits; conducting criminal surveillances; participating in marijuana eradication efforts; crime and traffic incident scene photography; transports; conducting Emergency Management and Homeland Security missions providing an aerial platform for incident command and control; and attending events promoting law enforcement efforts.

BESO Contacts

717-508-0033
171 E. Hershey Park Drive
Hershey, PA 17033