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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Aviation Unit was formed in 1971 through a federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration grant program. The department purchased a new Bell 47G5 helicopter and initially trained 3 Officers, adding 3 more Officers within the first three months of operation. The unit was staffed 7 days a week, and covered 20 out of 24 hours a day.
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In 1976 a Bell 206B Jet Ranger was purchased to replace the Bell 47 which was no longer being produced and difficult to find parts for. The Aviation Unit, when replaced as the primary unit, had flown more than 13,500 hours. In recent years the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Deparment acquired a new Bell 407 which is now the primary patrol unit. This helicopter has more advanced crime fighting features and capacities.
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Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police's primary patrol helicopter, the Bell 407.
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The unit has operated 25 years accident free. The aviation unit's primary mission can best be described as providing an aerial platform to support the Officers of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. In recent times our key strengths have been our ability to provide airborne support to the patrol officer through the use of time proven methods and state-of -the-art technology.
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The presence of the helicopter on a scene in most cases 1) pins down the suspect and 2) the psychological effect of the helicopter reduces the chances of the suspect resisting arrest or fighting with the officer on the ground. These two factors have been proven to increase officer safety dramatically.
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