May 2006

Airborne Law Enforcement Association, Inc.

ALEA  E-Newsletter

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All Charges Dropped Against Accused Bernalillo County Sniper

After reviewing ballistics evidence, the U.S. Attorney's Office requested a dismissal of the five-count indictment against Jason Kerns. The 29-year old former Marine sniper was accused of shooting down a Bernalillo County (NM) Sheriff's helicopter last August. Kerns faced up to 80 years in prison. Kerns was immediately released from the Sandoval County Detention Center, where he had been held for the past nine months.

Bernalillo County Undersheriff Sal Baragiola told the media that he believes Kerns is still a "very viable suspect." Detectives are seeking any witnesses who may not have come forward to date as they continue to investigate the case.

Source: Albuquerque Tribune Reporter

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Southern California Man Arrested for Pointing Laser at Police Helicopter

Newport Beach (CA) Police arrested a man for shining a green laser at a police helicopter. Peter Kontos was booked into jail on a $500,000 bond and faces up to three years in prison if convicted of the felony charges.

The Airborne Law Enforcement Services (ABLE) helicopter was responding to a burglary call at the condominium complex where Kontos lives. After locating all three burglary suspects, the ABLE flight crew directed ground units to Kontos' condo. He eventually admitted to shining the laser at the helicopter. The device pointed at the aircraft was reported to be 30 times more powerful than a typical laser pointer. The pilot reported that the laser beam struck the interior of the cockpit three times during the call.

Source: The Mercury News

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Calgary Police Take Delivery of Their Second Donated Helicopter

On April 11, 2006, HAWC2 was officially presented to the Calgary Police Service by The Rick Sonnenberg Memorial Society.

The nearly three-year old Eurocopter EC120B – which was acquired for $1.8 million on November 11, 2005 (Remembrance Day) from a petroleum operator in northern Alberta – has been fully serviced, retro-fitted and repainted for police duties. HAWC2 is larger than its predecessor HAWC1, an MD520N, providing more room for people and equipment and offering greater range.

With the introduction of HAWC2, the Air Services Unit will be able to increase its patrol capacity on a rotational basis between the two helicopters.

HAWC2 was purchased by The Rick Sonnenberg Memorial Society after $1.9 million was raised during a highly successful lottery and from numerous private and corporate donations. The Alberta Lottery Fund, Astoria Custom Homes and TransCanada Corporation were the three major corporate sponsors.

Constable Rick Sonnenberg died in the line of duty in 1993 while laying a spike belt to stop a criminal fleeing police at 160 km/h. As a tribute to her brother, Lisa Stinson established The Constable Rick Sonnenberg Memorial Society. Through the society, she created the Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety project, known as HAWCS. In 1995, The Calgary Police Service became the first municipal police agency in Canada to establish an air services unit and a full-time patrol helicopter with the arrival of HAWC1.

Since the introduction of helicopter aerial patrols in the community, HAWC1 has responded to more than 41,000 calls for service and has assisted in approximately 8,700 arrests. In reviewing the circumstances of these arrests, police research indicates approximately 4,400 of those individuals might have avoided detection had it not been for HAWC1.

Source: Calgary Police Service

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USCG HITRON Squadron Makes 100th Airborne Use of Force Drug Interdiction

The U.S. Coast Guard HITRON Squadron has successfully executed its 100th airborne use of force (AUF) drug interdiction mission. Since entering service in 2001, the Jacksonville, FL-based squadron has seized over 269,000 pounds of illegal drugs, valued at over $8 billion.

The historic 100th interdiction took place on April 1, 2006. A HITRON MH-68A successfully interdicted a go-fast vessel attempting to bring illegal drugs into the United States.

HITRON is the Coast Guard's premier armed helicopter unit. The Squadron consists of eight MH-68As, customized variants of the AgustaWestland A109Power helicopter. The helicopters are on lease to the Coast Guard through the Integrated Deepwater Systems program.

In addition to its highly successful drug interdiction role, HITRON is an invaluable homeland security asset. The MH-68A's speed, range, payload and multi-mission capabilities make it an ideal aircraft to protect the United States' borders and interior. The MH-68As flew high-cover at both the Republican and Democrat National Conventions and have been deployed as far as Alaska to counter terrorist threats.

Source: AgustaWestland

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Fallen Law Enforcement Heroes Remembered This Month

May is the month America sets aside to remember those who have died in service to the nation. "To Serve And Protect From The Air" is the motto of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association. Throughout history, hundreds of law enforcement professionals have made the ultimate sacrifice fulfilling that mission.

The ALEA Fallen Heroes Memorial is our attempt to never forget those men and women who have gone "above and beyond" the call of duty. To date, we have memorialized 352 fallen heroes from 11 countries dating back to 1928. We have photographs and organization insignia of almost half those heroes. Help us maintain a fitting tribute to these men and women by visiting the website and providing any biographical information, photographs, or thoughts and memories you may have of a fallen hero.

To be included in this memorial, the decedent must have died as a direct result of his or her assignment as air crew in an airborne law enforcement mission of any kind, anywhere in the world, sworn or civilian, whether or not he or she was a member of the Airborne Law Enforcement Association.

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Delaware State Police Aviation Enters 35th Year of Service

There is a lot to be proud of in Delaware, as its State Police Aviation Section celebrates its 35th birthday this month. The section has seen many changes over the years, both in size and responsibility. Starting with only five troopers and a Bell JetRanger, the section is now home to four Bell 407's, a Beech A200 King Air, a Rockwell AC50 Commander and a Cessna 182 Skylane. Both pilots and trooper medics make up the flight crew of 26. Originally formed to assist patrol units, the section’s responsibilities have expanded to include emergency medical service, traffic enforcement, surveillance, fire fighting and prisoner extradition.

Source:  Newszap.com

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American Heroes Air Show Schedule for 2006

The American Heroes Air Show, the nation's premier free admission aviation event dedicated exclusively to helicopters, kicked off its national program on Saturday, May 6th in Canton, Georgia.

Event Director and ALEA member, Mike Grier, with the Cherokee County Sheriffs office, invites the public to these free admission programs. Since 1993, the shows have been dedicated to educating the public, the media and elected officials about the unique capabilities and dynamic role of helicopters in law enforcement, fire service, public safety, homeland defense and national security.

The events also feature the CODE-3 Career Fair, which brings together recruiting teams from law enforcement, military, fire and public safety agencies to present exciting career opportunities. The SAR SITE1 program introduces the community to many of the finest search & rescue teams from mountain, urban, swift water, canine and combat/SAR organizations.

Exciting flight demonstrations, concessions, aviation vendors with emergency preparedness resources and products, entertainment and special awards are all part of the American Heroes Air Show family action!

The American Heroes Air Show sends its sincere thanks to the many ALEA members who have participated in the Heroes’ events across the country since 1993.

FREE Admission and parking at all event sites:

• Odessa, TX
  Saturday, May 20, 2006
  University of Texas of the Permian Basin
  Event POC: Martin L. Jackson (432) 498-2100
   

• Seattle, WA
  Saturday, June 10, 2006
  Museum of Flight
  Event POC: Jen McSkimming (206) 250-3209
   

• Los Angeles, CA
  Saturday, June 24, 2006
  Hansen Dam Recreation Complex
  Event POC: Jim Paules (818) 631-8132

Source:  American Heroes Air Show

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Sergeant Don Crum of the Dallas Police Helicopter Unit said, "Performance, reliability, quality of training and product support are critical elements in selecting an aircraft for airborne law enforcement units. ALL of these were found in the Bell products and is our reason for choosing them."

Source:  Bell Helicopter

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San Diego Police Take Possession of First A-Star

The San Diego (CA) Police Department’s Air Support Unit received the keys to the first of four new AS350 B3 helicopters at a ceremony held at American Eurocopter headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas. The A-Star helicopters will replace the SDPD's current fleet of aging aircraft.

"We have one of the oldest helicopters in law enforcement, with thirty-nine years of service," said SDPD Sergeant Mark Hanten. "We're updating our fleet in order to improve our capabilities and enhance our efficiency."

The new SDPD helicopters are being equipped with Sagem cockpit display systems, enhancing safety while adding many features and making the highly advanced aircraft even more functional. The department also elected to equip their aircraft with a 450 pound capacity rescue hoist.

Source:  American Eurocopter

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Chicago Police Make Significant Upgrades to Fleet

City of Chicago (IL) has placed an order for a new Bell 206B3 for use by its Police Department. Scheduled for delivery November 2006, the JetRanger will join a Bell LongRanger already in service with the department. 

Hillsboro Aviation, Inc., has been awarded a contract to retrofit the agency's 206L-4. The LongRanger was acquired from the Chicago Fire Department and began law enforcement operations in January of this year. As operations evolve, it is anticipated that the Chicago Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff’s Department will operate these aircraft as part of a joint Helicopter Task Force. The retrofit, scheduled to begin in mid-June, will be performed at the Hillsboro Aviation facility in Hillsboro, OR, and delivery is expected in late August.

The retrofit will include an Avalex moving map, 12.1" LCD monitor, digital video recorder and a FLIR pointing system in combination with a FLIR Ultra 8500XR thermal imager/camera. Additional airborne police equipment will include a Spectrolab SX-5 Nightsun and a microwave radio downlink system by Microwave Radio Communications.  In addition to these avionics upgrades, the helicopter will receive a customized paint scheme selected by the City of Chicago.

Source:  Hillsboro Aviation

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MD Helicopters Presents Aircraft to Turkish National Police

MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) presented five MD 600N helicopters to the Turkish National Police (TNP) for inspection and acceptance. TNP representatives, including their team leader and four pilots, were on hand at the MDHI site to commence the inspection and acceptance process.

The aircraft, the remaining five of 10 ordered by the TNP, will be stationed in varied locations throughout Turkey. TNP headquarters its existing MD 600Ns at Ankara and Istanbul and utilizes the aircraft for general law enforcement missions, including surveillance and patrol missions, in various regions of the country. Four of the new helicopters incorporate infrared systems to further assist law enforcement missions.

Source:  MD Helicopters

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San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Accepts Delivery of AS350 B3

The San Bernardino County (CA) Sheriff’s Department took possession of an AS350 B3 last week, the newest addition to their fleet and the fifth A-Star for the department. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department patrols the largest county in the continental United States, with a jurisdiction that runs from the Los Angles County line eastwards to the Arizona and Nevada borders. The region has a wide variety of terrain—from deserts to mountains—along with extremes in temperatures as well as high mountain altitudes, which presents a series of potential problems for any helicopter.

"We have about 20,000 square miles to cover," says Captain R. P. "Toby" Tyler, Captain of Emergency Operations Division for the Sheriff's Aviation Division. "Much of our territory is desert, but we also have mountains as high as 11,400 feet. The mountains are popular hiking areas throughout the year, so with our new A-Stars, we're able to search for stranded hikers whatever their location, and hoist them out to safety even on the hottest days.  We also have problems with wildfires, so our A-Stars carry firefighting hoist buckets as standard equipment during fire season. This means that as soon as we spot a wildfire forming, we can do something about it."

Source:  American Eurocopter

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Fort Worth Police Purchase AeroComputers' Tactical Mapping System

The Fort Worth (TX) Police Air Support Division recently purchased two AeroComputers UltiChart™ LE 500 GPS mapping systems. These computers integrate GPS-based moving maps, image collection and transmission, illumination and data storage for airborne law enforcement applications.

The UltiChart tactical computer system replaces static, paper-based maps with customizable, GPS-based moving maps that offer local, nationwide and application-specific coverage.

“With the entire Tarrant County parcel data loaded, coupled with our Wescam IR systems, we will be able to decrease our response time and enhance our capabilities within the Department,” said Jay Paschke, Air Support Division Chief Pilot.

Source:  AeroComputers

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L-3 WESCAM Awarded MX-15i Contract for UK SAR Missions

L-3 Communications WESCAM has received an order from Keystone Helicopter to provide four MX-15i electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) systems for installation on Sikorsky S-92 Search and Rescue (SAR) aircraft. The aircraft will be provided to Canadian Helicopter Corporation for deployment to the United Kingdom (UK) to support UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) SAR operations.

The MX-GEO Gen. 3 package includes a series of new technologies, GEO-Scan, Automated Video/GEO-Tracking and Adaptive-GEO, each of which aids in delivering maximum geographic location accuracy and significantly reduces operator fatigue in demanding and stressful SAR operations.

Source:  L-3 WESCAM

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AcroHeliPro Awarded US CBP Contract for Repair/Overhaul of Fifty Engines

AcroHeliPro Global Services Inc. has been awarded a contract for the repair and overhaul of approximately 50 Rolls-Royce 250 (RR) series engines by the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), El Paso, Texas.

CBP Air Operations is currently operating approximately 50 helicopters that require some model of RR 250 series engine. The repair and/or overhaul of these RR engines is currently beyond the scope of CBP's internal maintenance capabilities. This contract is for one base year with four, one-year renewal options. The total contract is worth over $11 million USD.

Source:  AcroHeliPro
Photo:  Tony Zeljeznjak

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Jennifer Thornton
ALEA Ad Sales Representative
Ph (918) 274-3874
Fax (918) 274-8450
E-mail: jthornton@alea.org 

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ALEA’s Monthly E-Newsletters are designed to help keep you informed on the very latest information in the airborne law enforcement industry.  Our E-Newsletters are distributed by email, as an additional benefit to our membership. Anyone may join our mailing list.
 

This newsletter is published monthly by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association (ALEA), a public benefit, non-profit California corporation. The ALEA is comprised of air crew and air support personnel in law enforcement and others who support, promote, and advance the safe and effective use of aircraft by law enforcement agencies.

© Copyright 2006 by the Airborne Law Enforcement Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction of this newsletter in whole or in part without written permission from the Editor is prohibited. Product and corporate names mentioned in this newsletter are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the ALEA.

Airborne Law Enforcement Association, Inc.
411 Aviation Way
Suite 200
Frederick, MD 21701
Phone (301) 631-2406
Fax (301) 631-2466