One of the first of such detachments was the police corps created by the Lajes Air Base, on 31 May 1955, made up of one officer, one sergeant and 32 airmen.

Initially the EPDP flights were made up of Military Police personnel transferred from the Army to the Air Force.

The several PA units – although part of the CPA – continued to be integrated into the several Air Force bases organizations.

The Polícia Aérea is an occupational speciality of the Portuguese Air Force, whose members are organized in mutually independent PA units, each one being subordinate to the command or base to which is assigned.

Usually, the organization of an air police squadron is the following: The Núcleo de Operações Táticas de Proteção (NOTP, Core of Tactical Operations of Protection) is the tier one special forces unit of the Portuguese Air Force, being made up of Polícia Aérea members.

The NOTP is charged with missions of artillery observer, clandestine operation, combat search and rescue, counterterrorism, covert operation, defusing and disposal of exposive, direac action, electromagnetic warfare, executive protection, forward air control, force protection, hostage rescue, infiltrate the area with a helicopter and parachuting, irregular warfare, ISTAR, long-range penetration, medivac, military intelligence, mountain rescue, NBCR on operations in contaminated environments, special operations, special reconnaissance, special warfare, tactical emergency medical services, as well as other possible classified missions.