Welcome to The Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical Helicasts!

In this two-part series, host Jon Gray sits down with Harald Brink.

Brink is based with the Dutch National Police, National Expertise and Operations, Air Support Unit, based at Amsterdam Airport since 2009. Brink has been a police officer since the early 1990s.

Since its inception in 1953, the Dutch Police Aviation Service has relentlessly served as the nation’s eyes in the sky. The unit operates two satellite offices, one at Rotterdam-The Hague Airport and one at Volkel AFB. 

Operating around the clock with a fleet of aircraft that includes nine helicopters, the Air Support Unit serves as watchful guardians, covering a vast expanse of 16,000 square miles on a mission to protect and serve.

Brink started to work for the police 32 years ago, first in patrol in the city of The Hague. Later, he transferred to the National Police Force. Since 2009 he has been a tactical flight officer in the Air Support Unit. Progressing to be a technical flight officer (TFO) instructor and examiner since 2012. 

The Dutch Police Aviation Service is not merely an airborne patrol. It actively upholds aviation law by ensuring compliance with regulations and guaranteeing a high standard of safety and efficacy in every mission — from search-and-rescue tactics to safeguarding national borders through aerial surveillance.

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