A Tradition of Airborne Service
In September of 1926, Paul Richter Jr., Jack Frye, Monte Edwards, Walter Anderson, and Lee Willey were sworn in by Sheriff William Traeger as volunteer pilots for the newly created “Sheriff’s Aero Squadron.” As Sheriff Traeger would explain, “The airplane squadron would become an important link in the organization to apprehend criminals and enforce the laws of the country.” This laid the foundation for what Aero Bureau is today.
Aero Bureau has a rich history that reflects the evolving role of aviation in modern law enforcement. From its modest beginnings in 1926, the unit has grown into a highly sophisticated and indispensable component of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Some of the primary missions of the bureau are, but not limited to:
- Patrol Support: Including urban and remote locations.
- Surveillance: Monitoring criminal activities from the sky.
- Search and Rescue (Air-5): Assisting in the search for missing persons or downed aircraft, often in challenging environments.
- Disaster Response: Providing quick access and support during natural disasters, helping with rescue and relief operations.
- Transportation: Transporting personnel or equipment, sometimes to areas that are hard to reach by ground.
- Tactical Operations Support: Aerial support during SWAT operations or other tactical law enforcement activities.
- Mutual Aid Support: Provide airborne law enforcement services to outside agencies.
Aero Bureau operates out of Long Beach Airport and covers over 4,000 square miles of varied terrain in Los Angeles County, including mountains, deserts, urban sprawl, and coastline, with each type of landscape presenting its unique challenges. The fleet is composed of advanced helicopters like the AS332L1 “Super Puma” and the AS350B2 “Astar,” as well as fixed-wing aircraft such as the Cessna 210 and Beechcraft King Air.
In 2023, the bureau’s aircraft were involved in over 9,400 logged activities and 8,000 plus hours of flight time. These activities included air support involvement in over 1,500 felony arrests and an average response time of just under 4 minutes. 623 hours alone were dedicated to search and rescue operations.
The bureau’s highly trained personnel include 47 sworn deputies and 42 civilian staff members. The deputies are responsible for flight operations, training, and overseeing mission activities, while civilian staff handle maintenance, logistics, fuel, and administrative functions.
Through its history and ongoing evolution, Aero Bureau has maintained a reputation of being an indispensable component of modern law enforcement and continues to set a high standard for airborne service in public safety for the County of Los Angeles.