Aircraft Part Of Fleet Replacement Program For South Florida Police Force

The Miami-Dade Police Department’s (MDPD) Aviation Unit has taken delivery of another AS350 B3 helicopter. This is the fourth AS350 B3, and it will join the department’s Special Patrol Bureau’s Aviation Unit that includes a fleet of rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.

The MDPD AS350 B3’s are equipped with thermal imagers, searchlights, moving map systems, and platforms for tactical team transport and deployment. American Eurocopter delivered each helicopter with night vision goggle (NVG) compatible cockpits and provided NVG training for all MDPD pilots. “MDPD’s selection of the AS350 B3 demonstrates the continued appeal of the platform for law enforcement operators,” says Ed Van Winkle, American Eurocopter’s Law Enforcement Market Manager. “The AStar family of helicopters provides agencies with maximum performance and the ability to expand their mission capabilities with additional equipment or crew.”
 
The AStar platform has become the standard for law enforcement agencies throughout the nation. The AS350 B3 is a powerful and reliable aircraft and with it, the MDPD has expanded its law enforcement capabilities by adding specialized mission equipment and a tactical flight officer (TFO).
 
“The AS350 B3 is a safer, more stable platform that has allowed us to incorporate more mission-based equipment and a TFO, without sacrificing performance,” explained Sergeant Tom Turpin, Miami-Dade Police Department’s Aviation Unit. “This makes us more efficient, more productive and quite simply, allows us to catch more bad guys.”
 
The latest AS350 B3 also includes a six gigahertz video downlink system that allows the helicopter to broadcast images to a central receive site, as well as portable handheld units. The downlink capability is installed on each of MDPD’s aircraft, both rotary- and fixed-wing. “The AS350 B3 has without question enhanced what we do and brought next generation law enforcement capabilities to our unit,” continued Turpin. “Our new helicopters have certainly increased safety for officers on the road and the residents of Miami-Dade County.”
 
The AS350 B3s were part of an upgrade program to replace the MDPD’s fleet of aging patrol helicopters. MDPD took delivery of its first AS350 B3 in 2008, and this delivery completes that replacement program.

FMI: www.miamidade.gov/mdpd