MCSO: Patrol Resources

Special Enforcement

AviationK9SWAT

Aviation

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Aviation Division provides airborne law enforcement support to uniformed patrol, Lake Patrol, Search and Rescue operations, narcotics enforcement, extraditions and SWAT operations.

The Aviation Division is staffed with a Commander, Helicopter Flight Operation Supervisor, Fixed Wing Supervisor, Director of Maintenance, fourteen sworn Deputies, five Civilians, two instructor pilots and an Administrative Coordinator. The Division is a 24 hour a day 7 days a week operation. The Aviation Division has four helicopters and two fixed-wing aircrafts. Our premier helicopter is a Bell 407 with a call sign of "FOX 1." This helicopter is equipped with FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red), stabilized binoculars, Ultichart moving map and an SX-5 night sun spotlight. This helicopter performs direct patrol, search and rescue operations, narcotics surveillance and photo missions.

In addition, the Aviation Division operates "FOX 4," a Bell Military OH-58. The helicopter was acquired in 1996 from the Defense Reutilization Program. It was completely rebuilt and placed into service in July, 1988. This aircraft is also used for direct patrol, search and rescue operations, narcotics surveillance and photo missions.

"FOX 5" is a Schweitzer TH-55 helicopter. The Sheriff's Office acquired eight of these aircrafts from the Defense Reutilization Program. One of the eight helicopters acquired has been fully restored by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and is the primary training aircraft for MCSO Aviation personnel. This is the same type of aircraft used by the military to train pilots since the 1960’s.

On the fixed wing side we operate two aircraft: a single engine Cessna 206 and a twin engine PA-31 Piper Navajo. Both aircraft are housed at our Glendale Hangar and as a cost saving measure are primarily used for extraditing fugitives from other states across the U.S. as well as narcotics and smuggling surveillance missions.

In November of 1986, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office sent representatives to California to examine several successful law enforcement canine programs. As a result, the current Sheriff's Office Canine Unit was formed. Since 1986, this unit has been recognized nationally for its excellence. In fact, the unit conducts several POST certified 320-hour canine training academies each year. In these academies, handlers and canines are trained and certified for not only our agency, but many surrounding departments as well.

Upon completion of the canine academy, the canine teams then receive ten hours weekly in-service proficiency training. The Sheriff's Office has four in-house trainers. The Unit utilizes imported animals and the German method of training. Breeds utilized are German & Czechoslovakian Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retrievers, and Bloodhounds. A thorough selection process is used to select both the handler and the canine. During the selection of the canine, the trainer rates certain desirable traits and drives, temperament, age of the canine, and any former training. If accepted, the canine must then pass a very thorough medical exam.

The Sheriff's Canine Unit is comprised of 25 canines with various specialties. The unit currently has three single purpose narcotic detection canines teams, one dual purpose narcotic and tobacco products detection team, 13 dual purpose narcotic detection and patrol teams, one single purpose patrol team, dual purpose patrol and explosive ordinance detection teams, three single purpose trailing teams, and one cadaver detection team. The unit is comprised of one Lieutenant, two Sergeants, 12 Deputies, and 8 Detention Officers.

All canines trained in narcotic detection are capable of finding and aggressively alerting on cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines, heroin, and their derivatives. They have also assisted in the seizure of over 5.3 million dollars in narcotic tainted monies. All canines trained in explosive ordinance detection are trained to detect and passively alert on 13 different odors. The tobacco canine is trained to find and aggressively alert on all forms of tobacco.

Our patrol dogs are trained in building searches, area searches, officer protection, crowd control, trailing, and provide a strong psychological deterrent to certain types of criminal misconduct. Our cadaver canine is trained to find and passively alert on decaying human tissues, bones, and fluids. Our bloodhounds are utilized to track down suspects and locate missing or lost individuals.

Vehicles utilized by the canine unit are 4 X 4 four-door Chevrolet Tahoes. They are equipped with aluminum inserts to protect the canine and the interior of the vehicle, heat alarms to monitor the vehicles inside temperatures, and even remote door poppers for rapid deployment of patrol canines.

The canines also have bullet and stab protection via a kevlar vest. The vests are manufactured by International Armor and were donated by several citizens that reside in Maricopa County. They weigh only approximately two pounds and are utilized during high-risk missions.

Canine team members typically work patrol operations during peak activity hours, usually from about 6 PM to 4 AM. They also augment SWAT operations; provide contractual services for narcotic detection at several local schools; provide narcotic and explosive ordinance detection for not only our office, but for other local, state, and federal agencies; they are on call 7 days a week 24 hours a day, and conduct over 100 public relations demonstrations annually.

The utilization of police canines provides law enforcement with a non-lethal means of apprehending dangerous criminal offenders; detecting intruders and alerting handlers to their presence; pursuing, attacking and holding criminal offenders who resist apprehension; searching and clearing buildings and large open areas for criminals; tracking lost children or other persons; detecting the presence of certain narcotics, explosives, and tobacco products; locating deceased subjects, crime scenes, and minute physical evidence; and provide a strong psychological deterrent to certain types of criminal misconduct.

S.W.A.T.

The Tactical Operations Unit (T.O.U.) is a full-time unit which has the responsibility of answering to sensitive, potentially life-threatening situations utilizing specialized equipment and tactics to resolve them in as peaceful a manner as possible. This responsibility requires a great deal of training and readiness. Some situations may include: high-risk warrant service, hostage rescue, building searches for dangerous suspects, the apprehension of armed/barricaded suspects and the tracking of, and search for, escaped prisoners or violent criminals.

The Tactical Operations Unit has the ability to conduct operations in both rural and urban areas. Selected personnel assigned to the unit are trained for and are required to respond to incidents involving the disposal of hazardous devices and explosives.

The Tactical Operations Unit is also responsible for providing law enforcement support to all components of the Sheriff's Office upon request. This includes: dignitary protection, saturation patrols in high activity areas, DUI enforcement, burglary suppression patrols, surveillance operations, marijuana eradication activities, warrant service, clandestine drug lab seizures, civil process service, witness protection, court security and conducting training for law enforcement personnel.

T.O.U. is a primary responder for natural disasters, civil and jail disturbances, incidents involving mass casualties and emergency situations at the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant. The unit also assists the Lake Patrol Division during underwater search and recovery operations in the County.

During the past three years, the Tactical Operations Unit has responded to more than 300 tactical situations. All were resolved without serious injury to citizens, officers or criminals. The majority of the tactical responses involved armed suspects, drug offenders, mentally impaired individuals and/or domestic violence situations.

T.O.U. has been very successful in utilizing negotiation techniques and specialized equipment to resolve these incidents peacefully. On occasion, suspects of violent crimes have also barricaded themselves in a building in an attempt to evade capture. The unit is prepared to deal with these incidents effectively and with great emphasis on safety.

The Sheriff's Office recognizes that the citizens of Maricopa County expect that high priority be given to situations which create a high risk to them. In addition, tactical capability is an important part of any professional law enforcement agency. The primary goal of the Tactical Operations Unit is to reduce or eliminate risk to the public by being prepared to respond to a wide variety of tactical situations. A dedicated, advanced tactical capability reduces liability and minimizes negative citizen perception when force must be used to protect life.

T.O.U. members are equipped with readily deployable equipment that includes: unmarked patrol vehicles with specialized communications equipment, special protective clothing, highly protective body armor, bullet resistant helmets, self-contained breathing apparatus, distraction devices, gas masks, tear gas, less-lethal munitions, submachine guns, night vision devices, precision sniper rifles, door openers, high angle rescue equipment, bullet resistant shields and specialty breaching explosives. Other equipment such as hostage communications equipment, attic search lights and camera, extra body armor for trapped person evacuations, an extensive medical trauma first aid kit, night surveillance devices and other specialized equipment are transported to the scene in a specially equipped van.

The unit also utilizes armored vehicles to provide protection when entering hostile zones. One of the vehicles is a customized 1990 V-150S "Commando" received through the Arizona Counter Drug Procurement Program at no cost.

Several of the department's paramedics regularly respond with the team to provide advanced life support within the inner perimeter. Additionally, two of the team members are emergency medical technicians. Fire departments and ambulance services will not respond to render emergency medical aid at the scene of an unstable tactical incident. Therefore, the team must be prepared to render as much medical assistance as possible until medical personnel can safely enter the area.