LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Air Unit was featured at its First Tuesday event at the Northeast Area Command Tuesday night, giving residents a chance to meet officers who patrol Clark County from the sky.
Metro’s helicopters operate seven days a week across Clark County, from Laughlin to Mesquite. The aircraft serve as one of the department’s primary crime fighting tools.
“When you are up there and you are catching bad guys everyday… everyday you’re like, ‘Yeah, I am doing something to help,” said Anthony Propp with LVMPD’s Air Unit.
Propp, who has been with the unit for 11 years, said he always wanted to work in aviation law enforcement.
Air support provides tactical advantage
The Air Unit assists with vehicle pursuits, foot pursuits, locating stolen vehicles and finding missing persons. During high-speed pursuits, the two officers in the helicopter monitor the sky, the suspect, road conditions and upcoming intersections while relaying information to ground units.
“I’ve personally been up there several times… where we get there just in time when a vehicle takes off from a police officer whether it be a stolen vehicle, murder suspect I’ve seen both,” Propp said.
The aerial perspective gives Metro a significant advantage over suspects on the ground. Officers in helicopters can see the complete situation while ground units have limited visibility.
“We can see where those bad guys are hiding, a lot of times they try to hide under things and we can see that,” Propp said.
Psychological impact and regional support
The sound of approaching helicopters creates a psychological effect on suspects, according to Propp.
“When they hear the helicopter coming, they know their chances of getting away are a lot slimmer,” he said.
LVMPD is the only agency in Southern Nevada with a helicopter operation. The unit responds to assist other departments including Henderson, North Las Vegas and Nevada State Police.
Search and rescue operations
Beyond crime fighting, the Air Unit conducts search and rescue missions for lost and injured hikers on Mount Charleston and in Red Rock Canyon.
“It’s a good feeling,” Propp said about the life-saving missions.
The helicopters can continue tracking suspects who outrun ground officers, maintaining surveillance from above and sharing location updates with units below.
Last year alone, Metro’s Air Unit helped apprehend more than 1,000 suspects and participated in more than 90 search and rescue missions.
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