The Austin Police Department Air Support Unit assists APD officers on the ground in patrol and support missions during the day and night. Additionally, a crew is on call and available to respond to incidents on a 24-hour basis.
The Air Support Unit consists of senior police officers, a sergeant, and a lieutenant. All unit members make up the aircrew, which is comprised of a mixture of pilots and tactical flight officers. Patrol missions are flown with at least one pilot and one tactical flight officer onboard the aircraft. All unit pilots train for patrol, rescue, and firefighting missions. All tactical flight officers are trained to conduct patrol missions and serve as crew chief/rescue specialist. The unit is constantly training to ensure that the aircrew stays on the leading edge of tactics, emergency procedures, technology, and many other aspects that encompass the airborne law enforcement and public safety missions the unit flies.
The unit currently operates the following aircraft:
- Airbus AS350B3 (2013) – Patrol, search and rescue, and fire fighting
- Airbus AS350B3 (2023) – Patrol, search and rescue, and fire fighting
- Bell 206b3 (1994) – Training only