On formation, the East Midlands Air Support Unit (EMASU) was staffed by experienced members of the Leicestershire Police, Northamptonshire Police and Warwickshire Constabulary. The Unit comprised a Police Inspector, a Sergeant and eight trained Observers - three Observers each from Leicestershire Police and Northamptonshire Police and two from Warwickshire Constabulary. Command of the helicopter rotated between three professional pilots.

At the head of the EMASU was the Unit Executive Officer, Inspector Mick Dunn, aged 47. Inspector Dunn was from the Leicestershire Police and had twenty-seven years of police service the majority of which on motorway and traffic patrols. He joined the project implementation team for the EMASU in September of 1993. In the three years leading up to the formation of the unit Inspector Dunn was involved in operations planning including ad hoc use of air support.

The Deputy Unit Executive was Sergeant Ken Hayward, aged 47, of the Warwickshire Constabulary. Sergeant Hayward also had twenty-seven years police experience. During the four years leading up to the formation of the EMASU he was in charge of the Warwickshire Air Support Unit. He joined the EMASU project at its inception.

The eight Observers comprising the EMASU included Constable Sue Boyall, aged 37, from Warwickshire Constabulary. Constable Boyall was the country's first female Air Observer. Since becoming an Air Observer in 1990 she served with the Central Counties Air Operations Unit and the Warwickshire Constabulary Air Unit when it went solo. Previous to her Air Observer role her police experience included beat and regional crime squad work.

A second Observer sourced from Warwickshire Constabulary was Constable Ian Crewe, aged 43. Constable Crewe also became involved with air support in 1990 having also since served with both the Central Counties Air Operations Unit and the Warwickshire Constabulary Air Unit. The majority of his twenty-four years of police experience was on the beat but he also served as a traffic officer.

As a Police Air Observer, Constable Roger Cross, aged 50, had more than three years of experience. An Officer of the Northamptonshire Police, he spent twenty years in a variety of specialist departments in the police.

Constable Steve Rockall, aged 36, also from Northamptonshire Police, came to the unit with seventeen years service. His most recent role prior to joining the EMASU was as a traffic officer on motorway patrol.

The third Observer from Northamptonshire Police was Constable Mel Smith, aged 46. Working predominantly in the rural areas of his county his last posting prior to joining the EMASU was in the Force operations room. Constable Smith had eighteen years of police service.

From Leicestershire Police, Constable Roger Illingworth brought twenty years of police experience serving in various specialist branches, including as a Detective Constable, before becoming a qualified air observer in 1989. Constable Illingworth joined the implementation project in May of 1993 as one of the original members, working full time on the project.

Also a qualified air observer, the third Officer from Leicestershire Police was Constable Ian Price, aged 42. Constable Price had previously worked at East Midlands International Airport. He had twenty years of police service on motorway and traffic duties.

Rounding out the eight observers was Constable Nigel Posnett, aged 32. Constable Posnett was the only member of the EMASU at its inception who had previous military experience having worked with Army helicopters. He was a Constable of the Leicestershire Constabulary with twelve years service having transferred to the EMASU from motorway patrol duties.

The EMASU included three professional pilots, all with extensive experience piloting helicopters in the military, who were contracted from a specialist pilotage company. The Unit's chief pilot, Chester Armstrong, aged 42, came to the EMASU having been a pilot in the Merseyside Police Air Support Unit the previous two years. Mr Armstrong had over 3,200 hours flying experience on helicopters and a good knowledge of police flying operations from his time with Merseyside Police. He also served with the RAF for twenty years, following that up working as the principal pilot for Independent Television News (ITN).

The other two pilots were Peter Skinner, aged 40, and John Thomas, aged 39. Mr Skinner served fourteen years with the Royal Navy with active service in The Falklands, Middle East and Northern Ireland. He did a tour with the Search and Rescue Service and had more than 3,710 hours helicopter experience. Mr Thomas was a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot. In his nineteen years of service he saw active service in The Falklands, Northern Ireland and the Gulf. His helicopter flight experience was over 4,100 hours.