Skip to main content
AirMed&Rescue

Main navigation

  • Latest
  • Magazine
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Latest
  • Magazine
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Latest
  3. Latest Long Read
  4. Provider Profile: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Provider Profile: Polk County Sheriff’s Office

Publishing Details

Pilots

30 Jun 2022
Oliver Cuenca
Featured in Issue 128 | July 2022

Share

River

Lieutenant Paul Wright and Sheriff Grady Judd talk to Oliver Cuenca about Polk County Sheriff’s Office’s Aviation Unit: the varied landscapes and missions, and how it is preparing for the future

Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) is the local law enforcement organization in the landlocked central Floridan county, situated between Tampa in the west and Orlando in the northeast. Its Aviation Unit, based at the Wilkinson-Rhoden Aviation Complex in Bartow Executive Airport, has eight regular pilots, led by one Chief Pilot – a mix of ‘sworn law enforcement officers [and] civilians’, says Lieutenant Paul Wright – all of whom have, or are training to acquire, certificates for the operation of both commercial airplanes and helicopters – as well as a number of part-time Flight Officers. New pilots are recruited to the team through a nationwide search, while PCSO’s Tactical Flight Officers are selected from other branches of the organization itself.

One moment an aircrew could be searching for offenders unlawfully harvesting palmetto berries in a rural area, to managing a vehicle pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies in areas of complex airspace in Orlando or Tampa

The unit operates 24 hours a day, participating in a range of missions ‘as diverse as the landscape’ of Polk County itself, Wright explained. The county, whose territory exceeds 2,000 square miles (5,180km2), covers everything from 550 lakes to citrus groves and pastures of the Lake Wales Ridge, to the busy central section of the I-4 Interstate Highway, which runs between Orlando and Tampa, the majority of which is situated within Polk County.

“One moment an aircrew could be searching for offenders unlawfully harvesting palmetto berries in a rural area, to managing a vehicle pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies in areas of complex airspace in Orlando or Tampa,” said Wright.

Wright added that one challenge facing the Aviation Unit was the threat of laser strikes, a growing concern across the US and worldwide in recent years. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported a record number of laser strike incidents in 2021, with 9,723 such cases reported for the year – including 630 incidents in the state of Florida alone. 

“Our helicopters have been subjected to laser strikes, which have resulted in the identification and arrest of several persons,” says Wright. However, he explained that the PCSO Aviation Unit works closely with terminal control facilities in Orlando and Tampa to incidents.

Keep on reading

DAA using Chelton

Modernising the critical communications infrastructure

Public safety systems of today need technology that facilitates cooperation between multiple parties. Chelton looks at the next generation of comms technology – 4G LTE – which enables high-speed data…
Read More

30 Jun 2021

Chelton Team

PCSO operates three helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft

The unit carries out a range of missions, with its helicopter fleet – two Robinson R66 helicopters and an MD500 – largely being used for tactical and preventative patrol missions. The aircraft are equipped with stability augmentation systems (SAS), autopilot systems, as well as the L3 Harris WESCAM MX-10 imaging system.

a Cessna 182T is primarily used for the transport of cargo, personnel, and passengers, as well as for aerial surveillance

“Tactical patrol missions normally consist of area searches for offenders and missing persons, pursuit management and search and rescue. Preventative patrol missions respond to specific crime trends, such as vehicle burglaries … or environmental crimes such as unlawful dumping,” Wright explained.

Meanwhile, the Aviation Unit’s fixed-wing aircraft, a Cessna 182T, is primarily used for the transport of cargo, personnel, and passengers, as well as for aerial surveillance. Wright says the unit is currently considering the possibility of provisioning the aircraft with ‘imaging and mapping systems’ to expand the aircraft’s functional capabilities.

The aircraft are maintained by Dixie Jet and Rotor Service, a local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) firm based at Lakeland Linder International Airport in the west of the county. While weekly inspections of the aircraft are carried out by Dixie at the Wilkinson-Rhoden base, more intensive scheduled maintenance is conducted at Dixie’s base in Lakeland.

Helicopter

Keep on reading

Helicopter

Interview: Kevin Kissner, Virginia State Police

Mandy Langfield spoke to Kevin A. Kissner of the Virginia State Police about standardizing hoist operations in the aviation unit, and his recent distinction of being named as an award…
Read More

30 Jun 2021

Mandy Langfield

Five decades of policing in the air

The Aviation Unit celebrates its 50th birthday this year, having been founded in 1972 – coincidentally, the same year that its current Sheriff, Grady Judd, began his law enforcement career.

To celebrate the milestone, Wright says that the unit has commissioned a ‘challenge coin’ to commemorate the occasion, which will display some of the aircraft that have been operated by the unit during the past five decades.

As PCSO progresses into the future, Wright explained that the department has plans to move towards a ‘uniformed aircraft asset model’ from next year, phasing out its remaining MD500 in favor of a third R66 from January 2023. The change will enable PCSO to significantly reduce the operating and maintenance costs of its aircraft fleet as part of its plans to become more cost-effective as an organization in the face of growing demand for its services.

Sheriff Grady Judd explained: “Polk County is the fastest growing county in Florida. A principal goal of the Aviation Unit is to enhance the airborne law enforcement services provided in support of the investigations and operations conducted by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office while reducing operating costs. Transitioning to the Robinson R66 Police Helicopter will help ensure we achieve this goal as we prepare for the next 50 years.” 

Field

‘Looking forward to 50 more years’

Judd explained that the shift towards the R66 will save as much as ’60 per cent of our operating costs’. Reducing operating costs is a key priority for PCSO as Polk County’s population continues to grow – Sheriff Judd added that the region is the ‘fastest growing area of Florida’ in terms of population – a change likely to result in an increase in demand for PCSO’s aerial services.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office operates one of the largest small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) programs in the country

Between the county’s growing population of around 750,000 people and its varied, rural landscape, ‘Being able to traverse the county in a helicopter and provide back-up to ground units’ will continue to be ‘an essential part of our law enforcement mission”, he explained.

In addition to the modernization and standardization of its regular aviation operations, PCSO has also been adapting in other ways, incorporating new technologies and adapting to new challenges.

“Polk County Sheriff’s Office operates one of the largest small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) programs in the country,” said Wright, who added that PCSO’s sUAS pilots often work together ‘seamlessly’ with the Aviation Unit, as well as the ground-based Canine Unit. 

Judd is optimistic about the future of police aviation in Polk County and believes that these changes will guarantee the Aviation Unit’s place in it. “We are looking forward to 50 more years of keeping people safe from up above, as well as supporting our neighboring law enforcement agencies’ missions.”

Publishing Details

Pilots

30 Jun 2022

Share

Oliver Cuenca

Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a Staff Writer for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector!

Keep on reading

Police helicopter

Aerial law enforcement - the right aircraft, the right kit

Mandy Langfield looks at the requirements of aerial law enforcement professionals seeking the right aircraft, with the right equipment, for the right price

Read More

30 Jun 2022

Mandy Langfield

Helitak header image

FAA approvals bring growth for Helitak

The latest approvals and certifications from the US Federal Aviation Administration have resulted in Helitak increasing their reach in the aerial firefighting market

Read More

30 Jun 2022

Sponsored content Helitak Team

Weinmann header

MEDUVENT Standard works without oxygen thanks to its turbine drive

The MEDUVENT Standard by WEINMANN Emergency is one of the smallest turbine-driven ventilators in the world, featuring innovative turbine technology that maintains ventilation even without an external oxygen supply

Read More

30 Jun 2022

Sponsored content Weinmann Medical Technology team

AirMed&Rescue

Social

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

Footer

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Writers
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Voyageur

Footer menu

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Writers
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Voyageur

© Voyageur Publishing & Events 2019