Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit
Encyclopedia
The Air Support Unit is a Central Operations
branch of London
's Metropolitan Police Service
. The main responsibility of the unit is to provide aerial reconnaissance
and other air support operations. Helicopters are particularly useful in aiding searches for missing persons, car pursuits, and large public order operations such as football matches.
Formed in 1980, the unit is based at Lippits Hill, Loughton
and is staffed by 18 Constables, and three Sergeants headed by an Inspector. The unit also employs other members of staff including pilot
s, engineers, Operations Room Staff and an Intelligence Officer. The senior management are based at Wapping
police station.
Each aircraft is crewed by a pilot with two officers acting as Observers, and averages over 260 flying hours per month.
In July 2007, the ASU took delivery of three new Eurocopter EC 145s costing a total of £15 million.
Central Operations
Central Operations is a major directorate of the London Metropolitan Police Service that provides operational support to the rest of the service...
branch of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. The main responsibility of the unit is to provide aerial reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and other air support operations. Helicopters are particularly useful in aiding searches for missing persons, car pursuits, and large public order operations such as football matches.
Formed in 1980, the unit is based at Lippits Hill, Loughton
Loughton
Loughton is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex. It is located between 11 and 13 miles north east of Charing Cross in London, south of the M25 and west of the M11 motorway and has boundaries with Chingford, Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell and Buckhurst Hill...
and is staffed by 18 Constables, and three Sergeants headed by an Inspector. The unit also employs other members of staff including pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
s, engineers, Operations Room Staff and an Intelligence Officer. The senior management are based at Wapping
Wapping
Wapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
police station.
Each aircraft is crewed by a pilot with two officers acting as Observers, and averages over 260 flying hours per month.
In July 2007, the ASU took delivery of three new Eurocopter EC 145s costing a total of £15 million.