Metropolitan Police Department: Air Support Unit
Summary
The DC police department’s helicopter, this is what you’ll sometimes see with a spotlight circling over a crime scene at night.
Aircraft Type
- Eurocopter AS350B3 (aka AS50) Aircraft count as of 2021 GAO report: 2
FAA Registry Number
Trackable on Flightradar24 App?
- Yes - Website Link
- Yes - Website Link
Details
Able to operate at day or night, the main missions of this unit is searching for suspects or missing persons, assisting in vehicle pursuits (so that pursuing police cars can more safely maintain the chase), and observing large demonstrations.
Viewing Tips
If you see a helicopter over DC at night with a spotlight shining down, it’s almost certainly this one. Similarly, if you see a helicopter loitering in a tight circle over one spot, it’s often either this one or - if you’re downtown or by the mall - the Park Police helicopter.
Radio Callsign
Falcon (notably this is one helicopter that can be heard on DC Resident Luke Berndt’s OpenMhz DC Citywide Scanner )
Photos
 |
Links
- Metropolitan Police Department in 2021 GAO Washington, D.C. Area Helicopter Noise Report
- DC.gov - Air Support Unit (Falcon)
- DC Metropolitan Police Collector - MPD Air Support Unit