Fri, Nov 19, 2010
Says Personnel, MD 500E Keys To Success
In an era when so many police aviation departments are the
victims of city budget cuts, the Wichita,KS Police Department Air
Section is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The WPD Air Section is
one of the original 13 charter members of "Operation Sky Knight,"
the first formal police helicopter patrol program in the United
States. The program was initially launched as a pilot program by
the Los Angeles (CA) Sheriff's Department.
The department one of the keys to its longevity is its aircraft.
The Air Section owns and operates an MD 500E and is budgeted to fly
up to 1,000 hours annually. The unit's full-time staff is comprised
of Lt. Paul J. Shields (Supervisor/Pilot); Officer Peter D.
Dolieslager (Pilot); Officer Bradley E. Carver (Tactical Flight
Officer); and David L. Frye (Director of Maintenance). Since its
inception, the unit has logged over 50,000 flight hours.
The Air Section’s motto is "A Proud Tradition of Providing
Airborne Public Service since 1970." They became operational in
January of that year flying Hughes/Schweizer Model 300B/C piston
powered helicopters for 33 years until upgrading to the current MD
500E.
Wichita, located in south central Kansas, is the largest city in
the State, with a population in excess of 375,000 and a geographic
area over 150 square miles. As a three-time "All American City"
winner, Wichita offers its residents and visitors a quality of life
that is clean, safe, and growing. It serves as the financial,
transportation, and distribution center of the central Kansas
region. From the earliest days of the aircraft industry, Wichita
has been a leading producer of general aviation, commercial, and
military aircraft and is universally recognized as "The Air Capital
of the World." The Wichita Police Department's personnel strength
includes a compliment of over 800 commissioned officers and
non-commissioned, civilian employees. The Air Section is dedicated
to supporting officers assigned to the field at the operational
level and plays a vital role in the Department's "Safe and Secure
Community" Public Safety Initiative.
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