Police officers’ perceptions of helicopter units: ground-level attitudes toward an eye in the sky

As an operational specialty unit, helicopter units are used by the police to respond to calls for service, assist ground-level officers, and provide aerial police presence. In light of their mandate, the work of helicopter units in the sky implicates in the work of police officers on the ground. As part of the present research, I queried a sample of police officers (N = 309) from two different police agencies in the USA that employ helicopter units regarding their perceptions of the purpose, utility, deterrence, benefits, and personal impacts of the helicopter unit. I also asked officers to indicate their overall support for the helicopter unit. My analyses revealed that officers perceived the helicopter unit favorably, with some nuance among questions and groups of officers. I discuss my findings in the context of policing research and practice, including with respect to specialty unit dynamics in policing.