Local & Community
Sheriff Seeks New Helicopter, Turboprop Plane for Patrol Fleet
RIVERSIDE (CNS) – Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco Tuesday will ask the Board of Supervisors to approve his plans to purchase a new helicopter and airplane for patrol and other deployments at a total cost of $18.46 million.
Bianco is seeking to add an Airbus AS350 helicopter and a Pilatus PC- 12 fixed-wing single-engine turboprop to the sheriff’s fleet, relying entirely on internal accounts to cover the amounts required to pay for the aircraft.
The price tag on the chopper is $7.72 million, and the Pilatus runs $10.74 million, according to sheriff’s documents posted to the board’s policy agenda for Tuesday.
Officials said the sheriff’s department currently operates a fleet of six Airbus helicopters and a piston-driven Cessna 182 Skylane. The choppers were manufactured between 2000 and 2020; the Cessna rolled off of the assembly line in 1974.
“With the addition of one AS350, the sheriff’s office will be able to provide uninterrupted patrol support for the east and west ends of the county day and night, seven days a week,” according to a sheriff’s statement.
“The Pilatus will be available to fly investigators with time sensitive tasks in the most critical types of criminal investigations, be utilized in department extraditions, shuttle staff annually to complete jail inspections, aid transporting executive staff to required meetings in and out of county … provide high-altitude and high-tech search-and-rescue, provide specially trained and geared staff to respond quickly to critical incidents or mutual aid requests, and be a resource to other county departments with reduced travel time, reduced lodging, reduced per diem and allowing executive staff to be more available within the county,” the agency stated.
Officials said that the C-182 cannot fulfill a number of preferred tasks due to its four-seat capacity, 161 mph top cruising speed and range limitation of 800 miles generally on two tanks of gas.
The Pilatus has a 2,071-mile range, max cruising speed of 330 mph and service ceiling of 30,000 feet. The plane is found in the high-end user market, including in some charter and executive fleets.
It was unclear whether sheriff’s officials performed a search of the secondary or pre-owned commercial aircraft market space to find less expensive alternatives.
The sheriff noted during fiscal year budget hearings last June that the aviation unit was encountering challenges covering all corners of the 7,208- square-mile county, suggesting a fleet expansion was necessary. He also has pointed out the need for expansion of correctional space. Only one-third of the Benoit Detention Center in Indio is in use due to staffing limitations. How much of the money that’s proposed for aeronautical purposes could be allocated for correctional hiring was unknown.
Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
By: Pristine Villarreal
April 18, 2023
Latest Instagram Posts
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Sterling Conley with the rushing TD, 2) Marcus Kennedy with the touchdown catch, 3) Cade Pinon with the big time sack, 4) Kingston Pellum with the pick-6, or 5) Caleb Hartwell with the saving throw #fypage #fridaynightlights #football #hondaofthedesert #highschoolfootball
James Nellis from @dsrt_club_lq and @rd_rnnr_lq makes us one of his signature dishes, his Maine scallops with hibiscus puree. His creativity and skill lead to unique bold flavors and scrumptious dishes. We chat about his love of trying new things in the kitchen, what being a chef means to him, and how food can different, flavorful, and fun. This is James Nellis on a plate. See it now on nbcpalmsprings.com
At the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, first responders, families and community members came together to honor the lives lost—and the heroes who answered the call 25 years ago on September 11, 2001. Two first responders who responded to opposite sides of the World Trade Center met for the first time at the event, sharing a powerful moment of remembrance and connection. 26 flights. Three times. One enduring message: Never Forget. #NeverForget #September11 #911Memorial #MemorialStairClimb #FirstResponders HonorAndRemember 911
Palm Desert’s future takes center stage next week. The Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 2026 State of the City Address & Luncheon on Friday, September 18, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort. The event brings together local business leaders, community members and city stakeholders for an inside look at the priorities, opportunities and future of Palm Desert. Friday, September 18 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort Palm Desert Individual tickets are $85 for Chamber members and $95 for non-members. Get the details and registration information from the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce. #PalmDesert #StateOfTheCity #CoachellaValley #PalmDesertBusiness #GreaterPalmSprings #PalmDesertChamber
25 years later, the memories of 9/11 remain vivid for the firefighters who witnessed the tragedy firsthand. A longtime FDNY firefighter reflects on the trauma, loss and moments that have stayed with him a quarter-century after the attacks. #911 #September11 #NeverForget #FDNY #Firefighter #911Anniversary #25YearsLater #NewYorkCity #Remembering911 #NBCTPalmSprings
A troubling history is coming to light in a Palm Desert husband’s death. 65-year old Vicky Kim is accused in the death of her husband — but prosecutors say she had previously faced several domestic violence cases involving him. The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office says it had secured protective orders against Kim before a judge later resolved her cases as misdemeanors, released her from custody and terminated those orders. Now, Kim is expected to be arraigned in connection with her husband’s death. Court records allege the weapon used was a flagpole.
☕️🔥 How hot is TOO hot? A new study finds that drinking scalding-hot beverages may be linked to nearly 3 times the risk of esophageal cancer—the most common type of cancer affecting the esophagus. The takeaway? Let that coffee, tea or other hot drink cool down before taking a sip. ❤️ #HealthNews #EsophagealCancer #CancerRisk #HotBeverages #Coffee #Tea #CancerAwareness #HealthyHabits #HealthTips
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry. The squishy craze!
Coachella city council unanimously approved an anti-nepotism rule that ban an any Councilmember from appointing a family member or household member to the city’s commissions and committees. Tune in to our 11 p.m newscast as our @newsbyalondra breaks down the policy.
An anti-nepotism rule will be discussed and voted on at tonight’s Coachella City Council meeting - that would ban city council members from appointing their own family members or household members to commissions and committees. Tune in to our 8:30 p.m newscast and our socials and website as our @newsbyalondra brings us the latest details on that final vote.