The Oakland County Sheriff's Office has been a reliable and trusted law enforcement agency in the greater Detroit area since its founding in 1820. The agency is dedicated to providing the highest level of service to the citizens of Oakland County and has been an integral part of the public safety system for nearly 200 years.

The earliest record of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office dates back to 1820, when the first Sheriff of Oakland County was appointed by the Michigan Territorial Legislature. The first Sheriff, Christopher H. Waterman, served until 1821, when he was succeeded by Henry S. Smith. Since then, the Sheriff's Office has had a total of nine different Sheriffs in its history, each serving four-year terms.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is responsible for providing general law enforcement services to the county and its communities. The agency is divided into four distinct divisions: Operations, Corrections, Civil, and Support Services. Each division is responsible for its own operations, including patrol and investigations, jail operations, court security, and administration, and works together to ensure the safety and security of the county.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office also operates its own aviation division, known as the Oakland County Sheriff Aviation Unit. The aviation unit was first established in 1965 and currently operates a fleet of three helicopters and two fixed-wing aircraft. The aviation unit provides a variety of services to the county, including search and rescue missions, surveillance, crime scene photography, and medevac operations.

The Oakland County Sheriff Aviation Unit has seen a number of important milestones since its establishment. In 1968, the unit became the first law enforcement agency in Michigan to utilize infrared technology for nighttime aerial surveillance operations. In 1984, the unit was the first in the state to be equipped with night vision goggles. The unit also played an integral role in the investigation of the infamous serial killer, the Oakland County Child Killer. In 1988, the unit was the first to deploy a FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) camera system on its aircraft.

The aviation unit has had its share of unfortunate incidents as well. In 2009, one of the unit's helicopters crashed while attempting to land at Oakland County International Airport, killing the pilot and two other passengers. The incident was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and the cause of the crash was found to be mechanical failure. The unit also faced a federal investigation after a series of maintenance issues were discovered in 2015.

Today, the Oakland County Sheriff Aviation Unit continues to serve the citizens of Oakland County with distinction. The unit's fleet is composed of three Eurocopter EC135 helicopters and two Cessna 172 fixed-wing aircraft. The unit has undergone technological advancements since its inception, now featuring GPS-enabled navigation systems, satellite communications, and night vision technology. The aviation unit also works closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to provide assistance when necessary.