FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — Bell has highlighted the operational success of the Chino Police Department’s newly established aviation unit, which entered service with a Bell 505 helicopter to provide airborne support for law enforcement and public safety missions across the California city.
Known as Air 5, the Bell 505 has been integrated into the department’s daily operations, supporting patrol officers, coordinating resources during emergencies and improving situational awareness from the air.
Lane Evans, Managing Director, North America at Bell said, "Bell is proud to support agencies like the Chino Police Department as they put their new Bell 505 to work in service of their community. We appreciate the important work they do and are honored they selected Bell for their first aviation asset."
The aviation unit provides aerial support for routine patrols, vehicle pursuits, search-and-rescue operations and incident management. According to Bell, airborne assets are playing an increasingly important role for law enforcement agencies by improving coordination during major incidents, increasing officer safety and providing real-time intelligence to officers on the ground.
Bell 505 enhances airborne law enforcement capabilities
Lt. Aaron Kelliher, Chino Police Department said, "The Chino Police Department has been thrilled with our new Bell 505 and its ability to deliver reduced response times across our communities. In just the first month of service alone, the aircraft was able to conduct three pursuits, all with 100% apprehension rate, and we are looking forward to continuing our missions in this aircraft."
Introduced in 2014 and certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in 2017, the Bell 505 combines a five-seat cabin, Garmin G1000H NXi avionics, panoramic cockpit windows and a Safran Arrius 2R engine. Its versatility has made it a popular platform for operators establishing new aviation units, particularly in law enforcement, training and utility roles.
Bell presented the Chino Police Department’s experience during APSCON 2026, highlighting how dedicated aviation units can improve emergency response capabilities and operational effectiveness for public safety agencies.
About Bell : Thinking above and beyond is what we do. For more than 90 years, we’ve been reimagining the experience of flight – and where it can take us. We're an aerospace and defense company that engineers and manufactures aircraft for critical solutions in extreme scenarios. We're breaking barriers in lifting people to safety across transportation, medical, rescue and military services, and leading the industry in future solutions that are fast, reliable and efficient. Headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas – as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., – we have strategic locations around the globe. And with nearly one quarter of our workforce having served, helping our military achieve their missions is a passion of ours. Above all, our breakthrough innovations deliver exceptional experiences to our customers. Efficiently. Reliably. And always, with safety at the forefront.
About Textron : Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pipistrel, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, and Textron Systems
