We all live in an open society that is often dangerous. Family members, friends, neighbors and business associates depend on law enforcement to ensure their safety.
Our city and county police officers do everything in their power to keep us all safe. However, they need advanced equipment to do their job more effectively. Aerial law enforcement is an especially potent program that protects us, and changes are under way to improve it.
All of us are safer at work and play, thanks to Metro Air Support, which has protected the citizens of the greater saint Louis metropolitan area with Aerial law enforcement by using his helicopter patrols, search and rescue capabilities.
In March 2004, the St. Louis County Police· Chief, the St Louis Metropolitan Police Chief and the St. Charles County Sheriff decided to join efforts in airborne law enforcement and create the Metro Air Support Unit. This progressive, cost effective approach combines resources to ensure that the Greater St. Louis Area has one of the largest and finest air support units in the country. This unit is fully dedicated to providing quality air support to both citizens and law enforcement. This joint effort is under the command of a St. Louis County Police Captain. Both a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Sergeant and St. Louis County Police Sergeant provide the supervision for the unit. Flight crews consist of officers from all three agencies. Two full time St. Louis County mechanics maintain all aircraft belonging to Metro Air Support.
The Metro Air Support Unit performs with professionalism, ensuring the safety of police officers and citizens, as well as preventing and deterring
criminal activities.
Our increased mission responsibilities have put the benefit of aerial law enforcement to the forefront. In addition, we continue to provide our services to agencies outside our own at no expense to the requesting agency. Metro Air Support now has the additional task of patrolling areas deemed by the Department of Homeland Security as "targets of opportunity" for terrorist attack. Bridges, critical infrastructure, historical landmarks, power plants, economically critical businesses, defense contractors and stadiums have been added to the daily patrol activities of our crews.
