Charleston Accident  

The difference betwen hiring civilian or training sworn is the new pilot.  You can hire an experienced pilot or train one from the ground up.  As a civilian pilot, i haven't been around any LE agencies that cut new pilots loose with 150 hrs depsite the rhetoirc otherwise.  Not saying it doesn't happen but I havn't seen it.  The ones I have any knowledge of require significant time with an experienced pilot prior to be released as the sole pilot. The problem with civilian pilots is we are generally very transient (not all but I would say the majority).  Often times we go where the $$ is or bigger aircraft ($$).  The advantage for an LE agency with training their own is they retain those they train for a career due to pensions (which isn't what they sued to be).  Once a LE sworn guy gets some experience, whats the difference in a 1,500 hr or 3,000 hr sworn pilot v the same civilian pilot except a badge/gun?  There are good sworn pilots and bad sworn pilots and good civilian pilots and bad civilian pilots.