Superintendent David Scutchings joined South Australia Police (SAPOL) in 1994, initially serving in Elizabeth and Salisbury Patrols and then as a Detective with Elizabeth Criminal Investigation Branch. He was seconded to Operation Avatar, where he received a Certificate of Commendation relating to the arrest of a senior outlaw gang member. In 2005 he joined STAR Group Operations Section and shortly afterward began his police aviation journey as a Tactical Flight Officer.
Since then, he has worked tirelessly to improve SAPOL’s aviation capability and is widely recognized as a subject matter expert in police aviation. He has led several upgrades to both the State Rescue Helicopter Service fleet and the revitalization of SAPOL’s fixed-wing aviation capability. His exemplary work on Project Sauron resulted in the operationalization of SAPOL’s inaugural airborne law enforcement airplane, ‘The Caravan’, revolutionizing the way that SAPOL conducts operations.
Superintendent Scutchings established Operation Gimbal, SAPOL’s longest-running and most effective cannabis operation. He has also played an integral role in the SAPOL/SA Ambulance Service aviation procurement and provides high-level advice to senior management and government agencies regarding the strategic direction of airborne policing operations in South Australia.
He was also pivotal in launching a new state-of-the-art police vessel. In 2020 he managed Operation COVID-19 (Border Control – Aviation), resulting in 300,000 passengers being safely processed into South Australia via domestic/international airports. In 2021 he managed Crime Gangs Task Force, and in 2022 was promoted to Superintendent and Officer in Charge, Communications Group.
