bear in the air

A police officer in an airplane or helicopter. Likely related to highway patrol officers being called "bear," a possible reference to Smokey the Bear (a cartoon character who wears a hat similar to those sometimes worn by the highway patrol). That's a bear in the air! If they shine their spotlight down on us, we're doomed! Be careful, boys—I just spotted a bear in the air off the junction to I-75. We've got bears in the air up ahead—must be related to that car chase they reported on the radio.