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Aircraft program

State Patrol's Aircraft program consists of four aircraft (including three Cessna 172 Skyhawks) and twelve pilots. This program provides aerial support to ground-based units in traffic law enforcement. They detect speeding and reckless drivers from surveillance overhead. By use of a timing device (VASCAR) the pilots can clock target vehicles suspected of traveling at excessive speeds and then call down to waiting ground cars to initiate a traffic stop.

As the only state-wide police aerial support unit, the State Patrol has received increasing requests from other enforcement agencies to provide air support for such things as drug activity surveillance, covert surveillance and tracking of criminal suspects, VIP escort support, searches for missing persons and downed planes, aerial photography, and emergency organ transport. Requests have come from the State's DEA agents as well as many local sheriff and police agencies.

Questions about the content of this page:
David Pabst, david.pabst@dot.state.wi.us
Last modified: May 24, 2006