Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department
The Metropolitan Police, with a staff of more than 40,000 police officers, and over 2,800 civilian personnel, manages 102 stations in the prefecture.
Metropolitan Police Air Support Unit
Formed in 1980, the unit was based at Lippitts Hill, Essex and had 48 personnel comprising 3 sergeants, 18 constables, 4 aircraft engineers, 1 avionics engineer, 11 pilots and was headed by an inspector. The unit also employed other members of staff, including operations room staff and an intelligence officer. The senior management were based at Wapping police station. All pilots were ex-military Royal Navy but also Army Air Corps. Each aircraft was crewed by a pilot with two officers acting as observers, and averaged over 260 flying hours per month.