Airborne Operations
The Federal Highway Police Department has for some time possessed the Airborne Operations Division (Divisão de Operações Aéreas or DOA), responsible for the airborne supervision of highways and aiding accident victims.
This division has bases in João Pessoa, Brasília, São Paulo, Pernambuco, Paraná, and Santa Catarina. Each base works with a helicopter, with the Pernambuco base also having an airplane, used for the identification of marijuana plantations. Currently the helicopters are used mostly for the aid of accident victims, as some bases have already made agreements with the SAMU.
Every helicopter is staffed by a pilot, an operator and a first responder, all of which are PRF officers. At bases having agreements with the SAMU, the first responder is replaced by a doctor and a nurse.
The DPRF's pilot and operator training course is considered one of the best among Brazilian law enforcement agencies. In addition to technical knowledge, the officers perform exhaustive rescue training in diverse situations, including on the high seas.
The operators receive combat training and licenses to operate XM-15 rifles, used by the division, in order to also act as tactical support for crime fighting operations.
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