BSO is the only agency servicing the estimated 1.95 million residents of Broward County with airborne law enforcement support. Our mission is to efficiently and effectively provide the highest level of police service to the citizens, visitors and agencies within Broward County at a reasonable cost. On average, they conduct 3,100 missions a year with approximately 1,800 flight hours, yielding 450 aircrew apprehensions in which the aircrew located the suspect and directed ground units to their location, and an additional 730 arrest assists.
On July 1, 2019, the Aviation Unit transitioned to law enforcement only operations, employing specially trained Tactical Flight Officers (TFO's) which makes our aircrews more proficient with tactics, technology while enhancing the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of law enforcement personnel on the ground.
The Unit has the capability of performing many diversified missions including but are not limited to:
- Criminal search and apprehension
- Search for missing/endangered persons
- Locating and recovering stolen vehicles
- Search and rescue operations in the everglades and offshore
- Deployment and extraction of the SWAT Team, K-9 Units, and dive rescue personnel.
The Unit has two helicopters each outfitted with: a FLIR system, night vision capabilities, 30 million candlepower night sun, moving map systems and Lojack. The Aviation Unit is staffed with: two sergeant pilots, seven deputy sheriff pilots, six deputy sheriff tactical flight officers and three aircraft technicians.
