Another aviation team that bolsters the city and its surroundings is the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) Air Support/Search and Rescue Section. Director Steve Morris says the unit’s mission is clear: Provide air support to all sections of the department and any concurrent jurisdictions within Clark County. Its law enforcement helicopter operations date back to 1969 when the City of Las Vegas Police Department purchased and operated a Hughes 300. In 1973, the Las Vegas PD and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office merged. In the following decades the program flew the Hughes 300, the MD 500 (C, D & E), and two retired Air Force Bell HH-1H Hueys. Today, the unit flies one Airbus H145 in search and rescue configuration and three MD 530FFs in LE configuration.