History
Narrative Summary
The New South Wales Police is one of the oldest police forces in Australia, with origins dating back to the establishment a small policing unit for Sydney in 1789. The state-wide New South Wales Police Force was officially established in 1862. In 1946 an Aviation Branch was formed, to operate an ex-RAAF Avro Anson. The aircraft was withdrawn in 1950, without replacement.
In 1978 a study for the NSW government concluded that the Police Service should acquire its own helicopter for use in crime prevention and traffic work. An Aviation Support unit was established the following year. The Aviation Support Branch has now expanded to 5 helicopters and 2 fixed wing aircraft.
Key Dates
| August 1789 | Creation of a policing unit for the town of Sydney in the NSW colony. | |
| 1862 | New South Wales Police Force established. | |
| 1946 | First aircraft acquired by NSW Police – an Avro Anson. | |
| 1979 | First helicopter acquired. |
Current Status
The aircraft of the NSW Police Aviation Support Branch are fully operational.
Future Plans
No plans known.
Markings
Special Markings
NSW Police aircraft and helicopters operate in a blue and white colour scheme with POLICE service titles on the fuselage sides and the NSW Police insignia on the cabin door. Helicopters carry their radio call sign POLAIR x on the rotor fairing. The Cessna 206 operates in its Cessna factory colour scheme with the added titles POLICE.
Aircraft Serial Numbers
Aircraft operated by the NSW Police carry Australian civil aircraft registrations in the series VH-PHx; e.g. Bell 412 VH-PHZ.
Unit/Base Codes
Coding system not used.
Aircraft
Aircraft Designations
None – Manufacturers designations used
Current Aircraft Inventory
| Aircraft Type | Total Del’d | Total Active | Still on Order | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospatiale AS350B2 Squirrel | 3 | 2 | 0 | Policing |
| Aerospatiale AS355N Twin Squirrel | 1 | 1 | 0 | Policing |
| Bell 412EPI | 1 | 1 | 0 | Policing |
| Cessna 206H Stationair | 1 | 1 | 0 | Policing |
| Cessna 208 Grand Caravan | 1 | 1 | 0 | Policing |
| Eurocopter EC135P2+ | 1 | 1 | 0 | Policing |
All-Time Aircraft Used List
| Aircraft Type | Quantity | Service Entry | Out of Service | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospatiale AS350B2 Squirrel | 3 | 1989 | current | France |
| Aerospatiale AS355N Twin Squirrel | 1 | 1997 | current | France |
| Avro Anson | 1 | 1946 | 1950 | RAAF |
| Bell 206 JetRanger III | 3 | 1979 | 19?? | USA |
| Bell 412EPI | 1 | 2014 | current | USA |
| Cessna 206H Stationair | 1 | ? | current | USA |
| Cessna 208 Grand Caravan | 1 | 2014 | current | USA |
| Cessna 500 Citation | 2 | 2000 | 2007 | leased |
| Eurocopter EC135P2+ | 1 | 2011 | current | USA |
| MBB BK117B-2 | 1 | ? | 2014 | Germany |
Aircraft NOT Used
No false reports known.
Aircraft Losses and Incidents
No losses known.
Organisation
Main Headquarters
New South Wales Police, Parramatta, New South Wales.
Organisational Structure
The NSW Police Aviation Support Branch has no subordinate units.
Current Unit Assignments
No subordinate units.
Historical Unit Assignments
Not applicable.
All-Time Flying Units List
Not applicable.
Air Bases
Current Air Bases
The Aviation Support Branch is based at the Bankstown airport, Sydney.
All-Time Air Bases Used List
The Air unit originally operated from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (Mascot), but was relocated to Bankstown Airport by early 1992.
More Information
Books
None known.
Magazines
NSW Police Force: Police Monthly
Websites
wikipedia: New South Wales Police
Specialist Operations (News South Wales)
Facebook: Polair – NSW Police Force Airwing
Official website
Helis.com: New South Wales Police
Retribution may come from the sky
Aviation Section NSW Police
Polair Helecopter
Air Wing- Aviation Support Branch