DISTRIBUTION - ALL EMPLOYEES

DATE REVISED - 9/13/2007

25.01.1 Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for requesting and utilizing services of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Aviation Unit. The Aviation Unit maintains a separate operations manual for routine daily operations of the unit, which shall comply with and be subordinate to this policy. The operations manual will be made available on request for official use.

25.01.2 Policy

It is the policy of the Department of Public Safety that all Department aircraft shall be used only for lawful and authorized purposes. The GSP Aviation Unit provides air support to state, local and federal agencies. The Unit’s first priority in missions is support to those missions that may involve life or death situations or high risk to public safety. The unit’s first priority to agencies is support to the GSP and its statutory mission, including security protection for the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House and their immediate families.

25.01.3 Procedures

A. Scheduling Priorities

Priority for use will be given in the following order:

1. For the preservation of life or prevention of an imminent threat of harm to the public or public safety;

2. For the prevention of large-scale destruction of property subject to imminent threat or attack;

3. Governor;

4. Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House;

5. Members of the General Assembly, and

6. All others on a first come first served basis or as ordered by the Commissioner.

B. Authorized Pilots

State Aircraft assigned to the Department of Public Safety shall be piloted only by:

1. Employees of the Department who have been approved by the Director of Aviation to pilot the particular type and model of aircraft, based on required licensing and training.

2. Other persons for a particular flight who hold the appropriate current license for the type and model of aircraft who have been approved by the Director of Aviation for that particular flight. The Director of Aviation shall retain a record of the approval with such record identifying the pilot, his license number, the description of the flight and the reason for the approval.

3. In a life-threatening emergency, any person, provided that there is no one otherwise authorized by this policy available.

C. Authorized Passengers

Use of State Aircraft shall be limited to the persons listed below.

1. Employees of State Government, Federal Government or local government when in the performance of State or intergovernmental functions or when providing support to other Governmental agencies.

2. Law Enforcement, Prosecutors, Judges or Military Personnel while performing official duties.

3. Any non-employees from whose carriage the state derives some benefit. This category would include:

a. Industry promotion passengers – persons accompanying the Governor, Lt. Governor or Commissioner of Industry, Trade and Tourism or their designee for purposes of locating potential locations for new industry.

b. Public Information Passengers – persons being carried to educate and assist in providing public information on matters of concern to the Department or to the State.

c. Contractors – Private Persons while performing functions for State agencies under contract or agreement.

d. Such other persons as approved in writing by the Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner, the Commanding Officer or the Director of Aviation with a written explanation as to the tangible benefit received by the carriage.

e. When the Pilot or the Director of Aviation determines that carriage of a person not otherwise permitted by policy is required due to a life-threatening emergency or a serious medical emergency, such person may be carried. Within three calendar days, a written explanation as to the emergency situation shall be made to the Commissioner and attached to the Flight Report.

4. Members of the General Assembly.

5. Members of boards, agencies, commissions, and bureaus of the State of Georgia.

6. Other passengers meeting the qualifications set out in O.C.G.A. § 35-2-73 which includes providing transportation to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House and their immediate family members. For purposes of this policy, immediate family members mean those members of the official’s family who reside with that official as part of the household. Further, immediate family members are authorized to travel in Department aircraft in the following three circumstances:

a. When traveling with the protected official relative;

b. When traveling at the request of the protected official relative for State business, or

c. When, in accordance with the procedure set forth in subsection E, 7 of this section, it has been determined that security requirements dictate the use of Department aircraft to transport an immediate family member.

D. Out of State Travel

1. Travel to out-of-State destinations is prohibited unless there has been prior approval by the Commissioner or his designee.

2. For purposes of this provision, the Commissioner’s designee shall be the Deputy Commissioner or such other person who has received a written delegation of authority.

E. Flight Requests

1. Emergency Support to GSP

a. In an emergency, any member of the GSP may request air support from the Aviation Unit.

b. Except when the request is from a member above a post commander in the chain of command, the member wishing to request air support should first contact the NCO on call in the post territory where the request originates.

c. The NCO on call will make the decision as to whether to request air support.

d. Once approved by the NCO on call, the request may be made by the NCO on call or by the member originally seeking air support and should be made by the most expeditious means available, directly to the Aviation Unit.

e. The NCO on call will notify the Troop Officer on call.

f. If Aviation is unable to/or does not respond they shall inform the Post NCO at the time of the request.

2. Routine Support to GSP - Routine requests for support to the GSP should be made through the proper chain of command to the Troop Commander.

3. Emergency Support to other agencies

a. In an emergency, any member of another public safety agency may request air support directly from the GSP Aviation Unit.

b. The pilot responding to the request will notify the Post in whose territory the assistance will be provided. The person who receives the notification at the  Post will be responsible for notifying the NCO on call. The NCO on call will

notify the Troop Officer on call.

4. Routine Support to other agencies

a. Routine requests from other agencies should be made to either the field hangar in the area where the request originates or to the Aviation Unit Headquarters.

b. The Pilot responding to the request will notify the Post in whose territory the assistance will be provided. The person who receives the notification at the  Post will be responsible for notifying the NCO on call. The NCO on call will notify the Troop Officer on call.

5. Part-time aircrew support

a. In an emergency, the pilot responding to the call will notify the Tactical Flight Officer (TFO/FLIR operator) of the mission by the most expeditious means available.

b. Upon notification, the TFO will be considered detached to the Aviation Unit and will be under the direct supervision of the Aviation Unit Commander or their designee for the duration of the mission.

c. The pilot will notify the Post where the TFO is assigned and provide details of the mission available at that time.

d. The person who receives the notification at the Post will be responsible for notifying the NCO on call of the mission and the TFO’s deployment.

6. Transport of persons

a. The Department will accept requests for transportation from the Office of the Governor, Members of the General Assembly, and, where consistent with the public safety mission of the Department, those acting on the authority of

Chief Executive Officers, or their designee, of departments, agencies or authorities of the State of Georgia.

b. Department aircraft may only be used for conducting the business of the  State of Georgia. Guidelines that govern this decision are based on the State deriving a benefit from the scheduled flight. Department aircraft may not be used for any flight or discrete leg of a flight that has only non-public (private or political) purposes. It is not a violation of this policy for a Department aircraft to be used for a flight to a destination where the official may participate in both a legitimate public purpose as well as either a private or political purpose. If there is a political purpose or function at a destination where there was also a public purpose or function, the official must reimburse the Department the costs of the use of the aircraft that is

apportioned to the political purpose. There is no reimbursement related to private functions at the same destination as a public function unless additional costs for the flight are accrued as a result of the official attending the private function, in which case the additional costs will be reimbursed to the department.

7. Transport for Executive Security Reasons

a. Anytime the Commissioner of Public Safety or his designee (i.e., for this purpose, Deputy Commissioner, Commanding Officer or such other person who has received a written delegation of authority) has determined that transportation in Department aircraft is necessary for executive security purposes, the flight is considered appropriate under this policy.

b. Such determination must be in writing and must be documented with the supporting reasons which indicate that transportation in a Department aircraft is preferred for security reasons over other transportation. When possible, the written determination should be prepared prior to the flight, but may, when required by circumstances, be prepared at a reasonable time subsequent to the flight. A copy of this determination will be filed in the Commissioner’s Office and in the office of the Commanding Officer.

F. Flight Report

1. Pilots shall complete a flight report for each flight by a state aircraft. The pilot will list all touchdowns with the times, locations and purpose of the landings. The state agency, board, commission, etc. and purpose of the flight must be shown unless disclosure would jeopardize the mission or compromise public safety measures.

2. The number of passengers must always be listed on the flight report. Unless disclosure would jeopardize the mission or compromise public safety measures, pilots shall ensure that the names of all passengers are included on the flight report except in the following situations:

a. At the discretion of the Governor or the Commissioner of Industry and Trade, the names and positions of officers or representatives of industry on industry seeking activities need not be recorded.

b. The Governor, at his sole discretion, may decline to list the names and positions of the passengers accompanying him on the flight.

c. The Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner has approved or directed​ omission of the names of any passenger or passengers.

3. Additional information may be documented as specified in the Aviation Operations Manual.