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.

FMI: www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Police/Special+Operations/Air+Section/