In The News – Washoe County Sheriff’s Office adds RECCO SAR helicopter detector
July 20, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 7/20/2026, Staff Report
Becomes 11th U.S. agency to deploy the technology
WASHOE COUNTY, Nev. – RECCO, a global search and rescue technology, recently announced that the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office in Nevada has equipped its RAVEN (Regional Aviation Enforcement) helicopter program with a RECCO SAR Helicopter Detector, making it the 11th organization in the United States and the 54th worldwide to deploy the aerial system.
The RECCO system operates on a passive radar principle. The helicopter-carried detector emits a radar signal that bounces off a RECCO reflector, which is a small, lightweight, battery-free device integrated into outdoor clothing, helmets, backpacks and boots, and echoes back to the detector, guiding the aircrew directly to the person’s location.