There are no standard rules in US Police Aviation. Some units prefer police officers to become pilots while others prefer pilots who they teach to become officers. Others pull from either pool. The US laws concerning public aircraft allow a situation where there are no standards regarding licensing of pilots or of aircraft. A police force in the US can acquire a single engine surplus military aircraft with no records and have it flown over a city at night by a self-taught pilot with no civil certificate or military experience. Until recently they could even sell their services (not now). Duty hours, training, experience, and flight rules differ from city to city.
To be fair, compare the aviation budget of Tampa to LA or New York and there might be an interesting correlation with the accident and incident rate. Still, a national standard for US Airborne Law Enforcement is long overdue.