OCALA, FL (352today.com) – I’ve interviewed quite a few heroes in my time, and something they’ve all had in common is how incredibly humble they are. It doesn’t matter if that person is a war hero, a public servant, or the head of a life-changing charity; the one constant is their heart for service.
My morning radio co-host, Mr. Bob, and I recently spoke with Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Chief Pilot and Aviation Unit Commander Darren Bruner. Bruner and his team have been receiving a lot of attention lately due to being featured in the Paramount+ docuseries, Chopper Cops.
Bruner arrived at the North Central Florida Media studios early to be interviewed on 93.7 K-Country and 92.5/95.5 Wind-FM. He was dressed in his flight suit to the delight of several of my co-workers.
While Bruner insists that neither he nor any of his crew are superstars, I told him that’s not the sentiment conveyed on social media. The sheriff’s office has a fierce following on Facebook and many posts express gratitude for the protection they receive from the department.
That means a lot, Bruner told me, as he was born and raised in Ocala. “I’m a Vanguard High School graduate. 1986,” he said.
Bruner’s early days
After graduation, Bruner enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served for about 10 years. “I was stationed in a little town called Blytheville, Arkansas,” he told me. “That base ended up closing back in the early ’90s. Then I went to Malmstrom in Montana, and from there to Kunsan Air Base in Korea.”
While being in Korea was a culture shock, Bruner also called it a bonding experience. “It was an unaccompanied tour. So, over there you’re by yourself,” he said. “But everybody was in the same boat. Small little base, but it ended up being fun. I made some of the best friends of my life between there and the first base.”
When Bruner returned to Ocala, he said that he knew he wanted to continue serving. “I exchanged my blues for my greens,” he said, referring to the change of color from his Air Force uniform to that of the MCSO. “My first job was a call taker in the dispatch center. I worked my way up to dispatcher, went through the law enforcement academy, and ended up going down the road as a deputy.”
Air One – Team, Training, Technology
It was his time on the road that prepared him for the job he has now as the commander for Air One.
“That’s one of the things that I think makes our unit so successful,” he told me. “Each and every one of us, be it pilot or Tactical Flight Officers (TFOs); we are sworn law enforcement officers, and that’s one of the prerequisites to come to the unit.”
He explained that the TFOs are actually the ones who do the bulk of the work. “They are the ones that run the cameras. They run the radios. And they will assist the pilot if we end up getting into some bad weather or things,” he said. “When we get on the scene, it’s the TFO with the pilot assisting them.”
Currently, the Aviation Unit has four helicopters. Bruner said that two are military surplus Bell OH-58 Kiowas which is a single-engine, single-rotor helicopter used by the military for observation, utility, and direct fire support. The two choppers were made back in the early ’70s and were kept in excellent condition. They also use two Bell 407s, four-blade, single-engine, civil utility choppers. Not only are they utilized for law enforcement, but the 407s are also capable of firefighting and rescue operations.
“We acquired [the 407s] not only through the Sheriff’s Office budget, but the County Commission jumped in and helped because they are bigger, stronger, multi-mission aircraft,” Bruner said. “We can attach what they call a ‘Bambi bucket’ to the bottom – you’ve seen it on television. We can go down and dip water out of a pond or something and help drop water on fires.”
They also do rescue hoist operations for certain areas that are inaccessible. One of those operations saved a possible stroke victim in the Ocala National Forest. “We actually had two paramedics that are trained in going up and down the hoist. So, we got to where [the victim] was, and dropped them down via the hoist. They assessed her, did what we call ‘packaged her’ in a little seat, and then we brought her back into the cabin and landed on East 40 over by Juniper Springs for an awaiting ambulance. They took her to the hospital.”
Bruner says the standards to be part of the unit are rigorous.
“Before we kick them loose on their own as a pilot-in-command, they have to have 500 flight hours,” he said. “That takes about two to three years to accomplish because they do it during work hours. Once they get between their private and commercial [licenses] and they’ve been assessed and we know that they’re good and safe, we will allow them to fly with other pilots on board. So, that pilot is there in case of an emergency, but they’re also performing the duties of a TFO.”
Filming “Chopper Cops”
Bruner admitted that when the camera crew for Chopper Cops first arrived, the unit was a bit standoffish.
“The initial thought was, ‘Really?'” Bruner recounted. “We’ve got to have a camera crew?”
But any reservations they had quickly faded away.
“Once we got to know them, we kind of welcomed them into our little family,” he said. “They became one of us. They became my friends.”
Bruner said that the camera crew practically lived at the hangar for almost four months, capturing their daily operations. Miniature HD point-of-view cameras with night vision technology were also mounted on all of the choppers to capture every angle.
“I was extremely proud of what they did. I was surprised to be honest, because again, you’re afraid they’re going to put that little Hollywood twist on it,” he shared. “These guys didn’t do that. Their editing was amazing.”
I was most curious about what Bruner was feeling as he watched the first episode.
“I was on the edge of my seat,” he admitted. “I lived through that. It was like I was reliving it all over again.”
Bruner told me about one particular episode that featured a high-stakes situation where the Aviation Unit was the first on the scene of a stolen vehicle. He was acting TFO for pilot Joe Jenkins when he heard an all too familiar voice come across the radio. It was his wife, Deputy Marjorie Bruner.
Despite the pressure, Bruner remained calm and provided critical information to the ground units. “We’re professionals and we know that we have to stay that way because if I had been a blithering idiot, what good am I going to do her?”
Humble Hero
Bruner refuses to believe he’s a hero. He says the heroes are the officers on the ground. “They’re the ones working those calls, we’re up ahead keeping an eye on them. But they’re the ones going hands on dealing with all this stuff,” Bruner insisted. “So, they’re the true blues, right?”
One would think that this high-risk, intense job must be daunting.
“I love my job. I love going to work,” he said, smiling. “I’ve got a great crew that I work with. I’ve got a great job and I’m in a great profession. It’s very rewarding all the way up to the top, great bosses everywhere. So, I enjoy it.”
Bruner told me that the biggest takeaway he’d like viewers to have is that he and his crew are real people.
He also says that he likes that Copper Cops has brought attention to a side of law enforcement not often heard about.
“There are hundreds and hundreds of [aviation] units across the nation and across the world that do this kind of work,” he said. “So, if we shed some kind of positive light on that, that’s all I could ever ask for is that we make our brothers and sisters in the industry proud and our fellow law enforcement officers proud. I hope that’s what we do.”
You can listen to Kathy Dugan’s interview with Commander Darren Bruner on Sunday, June 30, at 6:00 a.m. on 93.7 K-Country or stream it online after it airs on the radio.