| How does one actually become a law enforcement | | | | are helicopter pilots. |
| helicopter of fixed wing pilot? This is a question asked | | | | The vast majority of agencies do in fact take their |
| by many young people who one day aspire to be a | | | | sworn officers and deputies, and either train them in |
| pilot, or more specifically a law enforcement pilot. The | | | | house, or send them to flight school to obtain their |
| standard answer you will hear, is that most police | | | | helicopter pilot license. Why do they do it this way |
| agencies "hire their pilots from within." This is true for | | | | instead of just hiring people who are already pilots? |
| the most part but let's take a closer look at this | | | | Well I can't answer for every agency, but suffice it to |
| possible career choice. Another related question I see | | | | say that the majority do, do it this way and they have |
| often is how much do law enforcement pilots make? | | | | for many years. |
| Indeed there are some agencies who hire civilian pilots. | | | | So how long would you have to spend on the ground |
| We will take a closer look at this in a future article. | | | | as a patrol officer before being able to transfer into a |
| First let's look at where most of the law enforcment | | | | law enforcement air unit? This varies significantly from |
| pilots are found in the United States. By far the vast | | | | agency to agency. There is usually a minimum amount |
| majority are found in state and local law enforcement | | | | of time, such as 2 or 4 years, and then there is the |
| agencies. In other words your local police and sheriff's | | | | actual time and experience you will need in order to be |
| department, or your state highway patrol. Yes there | | | | competetive for such a position. I know of some law |
| are a number of federal agencies who employee | | | | enforcement officers who were able to transfer into |
| pilots, but the vast majority are local law enforcement | | | | their air units with as little as 5 or 6 years on the |
| agencies. | | | | department. |
| Take LAPD (Los Angeles Police Department) for | | | | About that pay. Most law enforcement pilots do |
| example. They operate approximately 18 aircraft, most | | | | receive a premium pay for being a pilot in the air unit. |
| of which are helicopters, and have somewhere in the | | | | However, all you really need to do is look at the salary |
| neighborhood of 70 people assigned to their aviation | | | | of a law enforcement officer on a large department |
| unit. They are one of the largest law enforcement | | | | with about 10 years on. This will give you a good idea |
| aviation units in the country, if not the largest. | | | | of what a law enforcement pilot makes. Depending on |
| I probably don't have to tell you that the helicopter | | | | the part of the country I would estimate most law |
| dominates the law enforcement aircraft inventory, | | | | enforcement pilots are making $60,000 to $70,000 at a |
| though many agencies will operate one or two fixed | | | | minimum. Some make much more. Ultimately, law |
| wing aircraft for prisoner transports and surveillance | | | | enforcement and law enforcement pilot are excellent |
| operations. So the majority of law enforcement pilots | | | | and rewarding career choices. |