OCALA, FL (352today.com) – Viewers across the nation will have the opportunity get an intimate look at Air One, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office’s elite aviation unit, and its tactical flight officers in action.
A red-carpet premiere for Chopper Cops, a new docuseries which debuts on Paramount+ on Tuesday, June 18, was held Sunday evening at the Marion Theatre.
The show is a compelling narrative portraying the challenges law enforcement face daily, and how the aviation unit plays an important role providing support to officers on the ground.
“It’s an honor to be here doing what we’re doing.” said Darren Bruner, Marion County Sheriff’s Office chief pilot and aviation unit commander. “If we can show a positive light on law enforcement aviation, that’s all I’m looking for.”
The program is produced by V1 Productions which is based in Dallas, Texas.
The deftly produced program shows the human side of law enforcement, giving the audience an idea of what the officers are experiencing. At times, the deputies’ emotions are palpable.
Without spoiling any storylines, we’ll say there’s a moment in episode two where an Air One member struggles talking about an aerial and ground pursuit with deadly consequences.
“They did a wonderful job, his whole crew, in portraying us accurately,” said Bruner. “That’s who we are.”
|WATCH: Trailer for Chopper Cops
The aviation unit’s competence and professionalism have earned them the trust of the community and other law enforcement agencies in the area.
The first episode features a case where Air One was called in to assist the Lake County Sheriff’s Office following the shooting of an officer in Eustis.
“It’s amazing to see these guys,” said Bruner. “I’m proud beyond words to see these guys in action. I have worked personally with each and every one of them. They take their job seriously. They take it personal when they don’t find what they’re looking for. They’re such professionals. They make my job easy.”
The chemistry of the unit is like watching a championship professional sports team. They have an intuitive sense of where each other will be at all times.
“We’re all tight. We know how we work. We all get a long, and we know how each other thinks, without having to ask the other person to do something because they’re already doing it,” said Bruner.
|RELATED: Marion County Sheriff’s Office aviation team members are the stars of new reality show Chopper Cops
Chopper Cops is the first high-definition television series to make use of the current generation of the FLIR (forward-looking infrared) camera system. Without this type of thermal imaging or night vision camera system, producers say it wouldn’t have been possible to make the series.
“The other thing that really made this possible was that we have a special relationship with Marshall cameras, and I promise you that every deputy hates us for putting Marshall cameras all over their cars, in their helicopters and their faces,” said W. Hulsey Smith, the show’s executive producer. “Marshall cameras are miniature HD point of view cameras. They’re very specialized. They allow us to film at night. This is the first time a series ever made use of those types of cameras.”
Neapolian Brooks is one of the members of Air One featured early in the series. He began flying helicopters in the military. His interest in aviation came at about the midpoint of his military career when he purchased a car from a Chinook pilot.
“Six years later, I actually got picked up to do it. I got commissioned. I started flying Blackhawks in the military and the rest his history,” said Brooks, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office aviation unit pilot.
When Brooks retired from the military after 22 years, he began driving semis and later returned to his passion, flying air medivac.
“A buddy of mine, who I was in the military with said, ‘Hey, Marion County has an opening in the sheriff’s office.’ I inquired, and here I am,” said Brooks. “It was a seamless transition and very rewarding to know that I could continue to do this outside of the military and have an impact on society by doing something as honorable as this, protecting the citizens of Marion County with my aviation background.”