REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 19, 2025
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Declaration of Helicopter as Surplus and Authorization to Return to the California Office of Emergency Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Declare Equipment No. 254100, a Bell UH-1H Huey Helicopter, Serial No. 68-16568 (Registration No. N62619), as surplus fixed asset equipment that no longer meets the County’s needs and that should be returned to the California Emergency Management Agency, Law Enforcement Support Office Program, Excess Property Program.
2. Authorize the return of the surplus property referenced in Recommendation No. 1 to the California Emergency Management Agency, Law Enforcement Support Office Program, Excess Property Program.
(Presenter: Carolina Mendoza, Chief Deputy Director, 387-0640)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Equipment No. 254100, a Bell UH-1H Huey Helicopter (Huey Helicopter), was obtained as a donation to the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Department) from the California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), California Emergency Management Agency, through the 1033 Excess Property program, and no longer meets the County’s needs.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department provides law enforcement services in the unincorporated areas of the County, and to 14 contract cities, Victor Valley Transit Authority, Southern California Regional Rail Authority - LA Metrolink, and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. In support of these services, the Department’s Aviation Division utilizes a fleet of aircraft to provide narcotics surveillance, personnel/cargo transport, aerial photography, search and rescue operations, wild land fire suppression, emergency medical transportation services, and general law enforcement support.
Under Section 1033 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 1996, the Secretary of Defense is authorized to transfer excess United States Department of Defense (DoD) personal property to local law enforcement agencies for law enforcement purposes. On March 13, 2018 (Item No. 53), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the Department’s request to accept one Bell UH-1H helicopter through the 1033 Program from Cal OES.
Due to the Department’s acquisition of a new Subaru Bell 412EPX helicopter, approved by the Board on December 19, 2023 (Item No. 92), the Huey Helicopter is no longer needed by the Department. Under the terms of the 1033 Program, once an aircraft is no longer needed by the recipient agency, if it remains airworthy, the agency must return the aircraft to the DoD so that it may be made available to other program participants. Approval of Recommendations 1 and 2 above will allow the Department to return the Huey Helicopter to California Emergency Management Agency, Law Enforcement Support Office Program given, that it is no longer needed by the Department.
PROCUREMENT
Approval of this item will declare the Huey Helicopter as surplus to the needs of the County and authorize its return to the Cal OES 1033 Excess Property Program.
County Policy 12-18 requires property with an estimated value of $10,000 or more to be declared surplus by the Board. Further, County Policy 12-18, Standard Practice 1, requires the Purchasing Agent to initiate action to move property as designated in the agenda item, or to arrange for disposition.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 29, 2025; Purchasing (Monique Hernandez, Administration and Operations Manager, 387-2067) on July 29, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on August 1, 2025.