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Regional Aviation Enforcement Unit (R.A.V.E.N.)
AVIATION OPERATIONS

Main Phone: (775) 328-2196

Sergeant Darrin Rice

Aviation, particularly the use of helicopters, is a tremendous asset to modern law enforcement. Flying over the scene of a crime, responding quickly to an emergency, and being able to see what units on the ground cannot see saves time and money. Aircraft can provide a measure of safety to the citizens of a community and the officers on the street that cannot be provided using any other means.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain four helicopters through the Federal Excess Property Program.    The agency currently has four OH-58 (Bell Jet Ranger) helicopters in outstanding mechanical condition. These helicopters, valued at over a million dollars on the open market, were acquired and refurbished for using drug forfeiture money, rather than taxpayer dollars.

Since it’s inception in 1997, RAVEN has developed at a rapid pace. Global Positioning Units, Night Sun search lights, and computers have been added to allow navigational communications with the deputies in the field. The helicopters have been refitted with high skid landing gear to make them more useful in our desert terrain in high brush, grass, and snow.

RAVEN benefits the entire community. Its helicopters have become essential tools during emergencies. Service from the helicopter is available to any emergency service agency (police, fire, etc.) in the Truckee Meadows or nearby communities. The primary missions of RAVEN is to respond to calls of crimes in progress, search and rescue missions, counter drug surveillance, and other emergencies such as fire and flood.

RAVEN has proven to be a success. In the daily operation, RAVEN crews play key roles in the apprehension of armed robbery and burglary suspects, locate numerous stolen vehicles (valued in excess of a million dollars), assist with the rescues of injured people from remote accidents, and provide injury-preventing airborne intervention at special events such as Sky Fire, Burning Man, and Hot August Nights. It has assisted in dispersal of rival gang members engaged in fights and has assisted the DEA during drug enforcement. RAVEN is routinely requested by federal agencies such as the FBI, DEA, and Secret Service.