The 2026 Blades of Valor Recognition Program is sponsored by Switlik Survival Products, Aviation Specialties Unlimited, and Dallas Avionics. Visit our Blades of Valor hub to view past recipients, and be sure to nominate a deserving individual to be featured in the pages of Vertical Valor Plus magazine.

Maricopa County, home to more than 4.5 million Arizona residents spread across 9,200 square miles (23,800 square kilometers) of desert, mountains, and urban centers like Phoenix and Scottsdale, can be a very dangerous place. 

Extreme heat and dry air can quickly lead to severe heat exhaustion and dehydration, while dust storms and sudden flash floods strike every year.

Search-and-rescue (SAR) operations are therefore critical, both in the county’s natural areas and within its cities and towns. Those calls are expertly handled by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, including the roughly 500 each year involving the Aviation Unit.

One such rescue, from November 2025, stands out. It was highly complex, and its success is a testament to the skill of the unit members who responded that busy day.

On board were pilot Tim Brennan — who previously received a Blades of Valor Recognition for the rescue — the unit’s lead tactical flight officer (TFO), Deputy Ryan Castro, and TFO Deputy Richard Dickner. Cross-training is essential within the unit’s eight-member team, and both Brennan and Dickner are also certified hoist operators. Yet their versatility extends even further.

Both Castro and Dickner began their careers in detention before serving in regular police patrol and the Lake Patrol Unit, which oversees wilderness-area patrols, prior to joining the Aviation Unit. 

At the suggestion of flight crew supervisor Lindsey Smith, both also became helicopter pilots. Dickner has 20 years of SAR piloting experience under his belt, while Castro recently completed his helicopter pilot certification and is now beginning specialized SAR training.

Last November, a minivan had been swept into the torrent of a flash flood in the town of Wickenburg. The vehicle was lodged against a tree. “Most of it was underwater,” Dickner said, “and from the air, the scene made us doubt anyone was still alive.”

If there was an opportunity for a rescue, all three crew members aboard the aircraft knew success would depend on sound decision-making and the expert execution of their well-honed skills. In a swiftwater rescue, conditions can change in an instant due to water velocity, debris, and countless other variables. In this case, there was the added concern of whether the floodwaters were still rising.

To achieve positive outcomes in incidents like these, the unit conducts hoist rescue training every two weeks. “Our training is very realistic,” Dickner explained. “Of course, we can’t include every aspect of what might happen, but we push the limits when we train, so when we get to a real scenario, it’s hopefully similar to — or less complex than — what we’ve already faced.”

That day also marked several firsts: Castro’s first mission as a rescue specialist, Dickner’s first time using a hoist in a real-world swiftwater rescue, and Brennan’s first time piloting such a rescue.

All of the minivan’s windows except the rear one were submerged. When Castro smashed through it, he discovered three occupants inside — all still alive. 

Elderly, frightened, and becoming hypothermic as cold water continued rising around them, the victims were trapped inside a scenario the Aviation Unit had never specifically trained for: extracting people from a nearly submerged vehicle during a swiftwater rescue. As Castro and Dickner quickly discussed their options, it became clear the rear window was the only way in and out.

Castro began removing items from the back of the van before moving forward to bring the occupants out one at a time, maneuvering them around and over the seats. He, Dickner, and Brennan discussed whether Castro should disconnect from the hoist cable to do it, but ultimately decided against it. Regardless, Castro knew he had to move quickly.

“I have experience with ground flood rescue, and I didn’t think the van would dislodge, but you never know,” he explained. “The more time in that vehicle, the more dangerous it was.”

The van held in place, and together the team safely transferred each person to the emergency crews waiting nearby. It was another display of exceptional teamwork and courage in the face of significant danger — all during what, for these dedicated public safety professionals, was simply another shift on duty.

Reflecting on the incident and his career more broadly, Dickner said he enjoys both the challenge of serving in the Aviation Unit and the human side of the job.

“Police work has changed a lot, and in this job, you are meeting people who are always so happy to see you,” he said. “That’s uplifting.”

Brennan, Dickner, and Castro were also reunited with the grateful seniors when the town of Wickenburg recently presented the crew with Medals of Valor.

Castro likewise finds his role in the Aviation Unit tremendously fulfilling and looks forward to future rescues. “It is very rewarding to actually save lives,” he said.

Dickner is currently participating in the unit’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan, which allows experienced team members to remain on the job while helping train their replacements. “I’m very happy,” he said, “to be part of making sure the unit stays strong.”