FLYING FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Views of the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Helicopter
MY BADGE
In 1991, I joined the San Joaquin County Sheriff department's Air Patrol. I was sworn in by Baxter Dunn, the County
Sheriff at the time. Our duties with the Air Patrol is to provide transportation for any Sheriff's personnel in need of
traveling to distant cities on business. We also transported prisoners that were apprehended in other cities or states.
In the summer time we flew searches looking for marijuana growing through out the valley. We found most of it planted
in corn fields. We were also available for search and rescue, and during the floods of 1997, we helped direct ground
units and our helicopter in picking up people that were stranded by high water and could not move except by helicopter.
I truly enjoyed donating my time and my aircraft to the county in their time of need, as we could provide a platform for an
officer to see and watch things that would take ground units hours to cover. We always had a uniformed officer on
board to contact and direct our ground units.
Once during the flood we got a report of some looting going on in a certain area and since we happened to be only a
couple miles away, we turned toward the spot and came upon a fellow in a canoe that had loaded the loot in the front of
the boat. We circled the area and waited for a ground unit to arrive to direct him to the spot. A pickup, with a boat, was
soon on the way to the spot and again we directed him by the only road that was available. When the Sheriff boat was
launched we directed the officer to the house where the looter had chosen to hide, under the car port. Bear in mind the
complete area was under water. With out our help in arriving quickly and being able to spot and watch the looter from
the air, he may have gotten away.
I am still with the Air Patrol as an associate member, as I have sold my plane and given up flying. Do I miss it? Yes
and no. With the price of aviation fuel at this time I am glad I no longer have my plane. However I must say the County
does pay for all the fuel that is used while flying for them on all these missions.
Sheriff at the time. Our duties with the Air Patrol is to provide transportation for any Sheriff's personnel in need of
traveling to distant cities on business. We also transported prisoners that were apprehended in other cities or states.
In the summer time we flew searches looking for marijuana growing through out the valley. We found most of it planted
in corn fields. We were also available for search and rescue, and during the floods of 1997, we helped direct ground
units and our helicopter in picking up people that were stranded by high water and could not move except by helicopter.
I truly enjoyed donating my time and my aircraft to the county in their time of need, as we could provide a platform for an
officer to see and watch things that would take ground units hours to cover. We always had a uniformed officer on
board to contact and direct our ground units.
Once during the flood we got a report of some looting going on in a certain area and since we happened to be only a
couple miles away, we turned toward the spot and came upon a fellow in a canoe that had loaded the loot in the front of
the boat. We circled the area and waited for a ground unit to arrive to direct him to the spot. A pickup, with a boat, was
soon on the way to the spot and again we directed him by the only road that was available. When the Sheriff boat was
launched we directed the officer to the house where the looter had chosen to hide, under the car port. Bear in mind the
complete area was under water. With out our help in arriving quickly and being able to spot and watch the looter from
the air, he may have gotten away.
I am still with the Air Patrol as an associate member, as I have sold my plane and given up flying. Do I miss it? Yes
and no. With the price of aviation fuel at this time I am glad I no longer have my plane. However I must say the County
does pay for all the fuel that is used while flying for them on all these missions.
My C-150 used in Search & Rescue
Grady and Grandson, Sean Sampson
The Centurion I used for long distance travel.