For certain missions - general surveillance on Luxembourg territory, searches for information or people, law enforcement, crime-prevention flights - the Police may make use of helicopters. The Police have been using 2 Airbus H145M helicopters since 2020.
There is a dedicated Air support team (Support aérien - SUPA) within the Police. This unit currently comprises 8 specially-trained operators. They offer support to officers on the ground and act as observers in the air. The pilots are recruited from outside the force.
Units on the ground benefit from having an eye in the sky when searching for evidence or information. Air support is very useful for operations involving control, intervention or arrest.
SUPA also assists with policing during major events: the view from above facilitates surveillance for large demonstrations or crowds gathered at the site of a major accident or incident. The team also carries out missions for the traffic police.
Within the Police organisation, Air support is part of the Surveillance and operational support unit(Unité de garde et d'appui opérationnel - UGAO).
Airbus H145M helicopter presentation - Police/Army