50 YEARS OF
OPD AVIATION
1970 – 2020
CURRENT:
OPD HAS TWO 30-YEAR-OLD HELICOPTERS.
INDUSTRY STANDARD IS TO REPLACE
AIRCRAFT EVERY 10 YEARS.
INDUSTRY STANDARD TAKEN FROM CHP AND
LAPD
WHY TWO HELICOPTERS?
HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE OFTEN TAKES
WEEKS, SOMETIMES MONTHS, TO COMPLETE.
WHILE ONE HELICOPTER IS IN FOR
MAINTENANCE THE OTHER ONE IS
OPERATIONAL.
DRONE LIMITATIONS:
LINE OF SIGHT
OPERATOR MUST KEEP THE DRONE IN SIGHT AT ALL TIMES.
BATTERY LIFE
ABOUT 20 MINUTES
PAYLOAD
5 POUNDS
CAMERA
CAN SEE 2 TO 3 HOUSES AWAY
OAKLAND AIRPORT AIRSPACE
LIMITS HEIGHT DRONE CAN FLY . WHICH LIMITS VISUAL RANGE AND DISTANCE MUST RECEIVE PERMISSION FROM THE FAA IN DC.
MAY TAKE UP TO 20 MINUTES TO RECEIVE PERMISSION TO LAUNCH DRONE LIMITATIONS:
DRONE CANNOT FOLLOW SUSPECT VEHICLE’S ACROSS THE CITY DRONE CANNOT OPERATE FOR SIDESHOW, PROTEST, OR SURVEILLANCE DRONE CANNOT MITIGATE PURSUITS
DRONE CANNOT OPERATE IN MORE THAN 15 KNOTS OF WIND
DRONE CANNOT RESPOND TO A CALL IN SECONDS OR MINUTES LIKE AN OCCUPIED AIRCRAFT DRONE CANNOT HANDLE CALLS FOR SERVICE
DRONE CANNOT FLY PATROL FLIGHTS
THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT AIR
SUPPORT UNIT OPERATES AS A PATROL CAR
IN THE SKY
ARGUS RESPONDS ANYWHERE IN THE CITY
UPON BEING REQUESTED OR DISPATCHED
THE AIR UNIT REDUCES LIABILITY
20 TO 1
AN AIRCRAFT IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.
ONE AIRCRAFT IS EQUIVALENT TO 20
OFFICERS ON THE GROUND
2022 HELICOPTER STATS
HANDLED 5,024 CALLS FOR SERVICE
A VERAGE RESPONSE TIME OF 28 SECONDS
FIRST ON SCENE 91% OF THE TIME
165 VEHICLE PURSUITS MITIGATED
150 FIREARMS RECOVERED
115 FLIGHTS FOR SIDESHOW
ASSISTED OFD WITH 75 FIRES
ASSISTED CEASEFIRE 88 TIMES
ASSISTED VCOC 151 TIMES
TWO SCHOOL SHOOTINGS
ARRESTS:
MURDER 28
ROBBERY 64
ADW 58
CARJACKING 77
10851 vc 120
RECENT OAKLAND FIRE’S
ASSISTED WITH 75 FIRES IN 2022
HELICOPTER IN THE AIR IS USALLY FIRST TO SEE SMOKE, FIRST
ON SCENE, GIVES BEST ROUTE FOR OFD TO ACCESS THE FIRE,
AND GIVES BEST ROUTE FOR EVACUATION
OPD HELICOPTER IS SMALL COMPARED TO OTHER
HELICOPTERS. IT CANNOT PERFORM WATER DROPS
HELICOPTER HAS A PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM THAT CAN ASSIST
WITH EVACUATIONS
2022 THE HELICOPTER UNIT ASSISTED WITH FREEWAY FIRES,
HILLS FIRES, AND MULTIPLE OTHER FIRES ACROSS THE CITY
THE HELICOPTER HAS A FLIR CAMERA THAT IS VITAL IN SEEING
HOT SPOTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE HILLS
BUDGET / CONTRACT
• OUR CURRENT BUDGET / CONTRACT EXPIRES JUNE 30th, 2023 • OUR BUDGET HAS BEEN $750K A YEAR FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS (2020 –2023) • WE ARE ASKING FOR $850K A YEAR FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS (2023 –2025) • COST OF FUEL, PARTS, AND LABOR HAS ALL INCREASED
NEW HELICOPTER
$6 MILLION EACH
OVERHAUL, REFURBISH EXISTING HELICOPTERS.
$3.5 MILLION EACH
NEW AIRPLANE
$4 MILLION EACH
COST TO OPERATE: (FUEL & MAINTENANCE)
• HELICOPTER COSTS $600 DOLLARS PER FLIGHT HOUR
• AIRPLANE COSTS $150 DOLLARS PER FLIGHT HOUR
REQUEST:
REQUESTING A 2 YEAR CONTRACT FROM 2023 TO 2025 FOR $850K A YEAR CONSIDER OPTIONS FOR AGING AIRCRAFT
QUESTIONS
SGT. JONATHAN VANERWEGEN
AIR SUPPORT UNIT