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1973 marked the entry of Lane County Sheriff's Office in providing law enforcement and emergency management aerial support services. Helicopter operations are required for the variety of missions we encounter.
Our expansive 4618 square miles of jurisdiction provides geographic diversity that spans the 10,000' elevations from the summit of the Cascade Mountains, through extensive forestlands, across the Willamette Valley, over the 5,000' Coast Range to the Pacific Ocean.Presently, the Sheriff operates a 1987 McDonnell-Douglas MD500E light utility helicopter. This machine is well suited for the variety of missions the unit trains to undertake.
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Helicopters are expensive to operate, but the combined efforts of SAR, volunteers and Sheriff's staff have enabled this program to continue with limited county General Funding, accomplished through various donation, contracting and federal reimbursement initiatives.
The aviation program is staffed as an "ad-hoc" support team, available on an as needed basis. Ongoing training allows the team to provide critical mission support in:
- Search & Rescue
- Law Enforcement
- Emergency Management
On-board equipment, managed by Tactical Flight Officers, provides significant communications capabilities for command and control functions at major events. Aerial observation is further enhanced by the use of a 30-million candlepower "Nightsun" spotlight, coordinated with infrared imaging technology, that enhances the observer's night search capability.
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