September 2006

Airborne Law Enforcement Association, Inc.

ALEA  E-Newsletter

[Advertisement]

County Expects Bell Delivery This Month

The Westchester County (NY) Police Department Aviation Unit will get a new Bell 407 helicopter next month, costing $4.5 million after it is equipped. In addition to assisting emergency workers at accidents, crime scenes and police pursuits, the Westchester County chopper will survey the county's sensitive areas, including the Indian Point nuclear power plants, the Hudson River and the Tappan Zee Bridge.

The new aircraft will be a multi-purpose aircraft capable of rescue, personnel insertion and extraction and firefighting missions. It will also be equipped with microwave downlink capabilities, thermal imaging and night vision equipment, and a Nightsun searchlight. Westchester County's current helicopter is a 1967 model, obtained for free as military surplus.

Source: www.westchestergov.com

[TOP]

Shots Fired At Helicopter After Robbery Attempt

Police arrested a man last month that allegedly robbed a bank in Columbus, Ohio and then fired gunshots at a police helicopter. The Columbus Police Department’s helicopter was searching for the suspect when he fired shots directly at the chopper and ground officers returned fire. According to police, the aircraft landed to avoid becoming a target. No injuries were reported, and the man was later apprehended.

Source: www.nbc4i.com

[TOP]

Drug Mission Helicopter Crashes in Arkansas

A veteran Arkansas State Police trooper and an Arkansas National Guard pilot were injured when their OH-58A helicopter crashed while searching for marijuana plants. The helicopter was found upright against a barbwire fence on a hillside; the landing gear appeared to have been sheared off in the crash. Witnesses said the helicopter was flying slow and about 150 feet above the tree line.

The OH-58 A the men were flying was assigned to the 77th Aviation Brigade at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock and was used as part of the state’s counter-drug program. The program pairs guardsmen with local and state law enforcement to search for marijuana plants and methamphetamine labs. The pilots were working on an investigation that also involved the U. S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

Source: www.nwanews.com

[TOP]

[Advertisement]

Illinois Public Safety Agencies Receive Record $5.1 Million in Law Enforcement Equipment

Last month, the Winthrop Harbor Police Department received a Bell OH-58A helicopter through a state program that secures federal surplus on behalf of local law enforcement agencies statewide – the Law Enforcement Support Office (LESO) coordinated by the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). The helicopter, originally purchased by the U.S. Department of Defense for $92,290, will help monitor and secure nuclear facilities located approximately 60 miles north of Chicago, as well as enhance public safety services along the Illinois lakefront of Lake Michigan.

This helicopter is the second Defense Department helicopter that CMS has secured for Illinois. Last year, CMS coordinated and approved the transfer of the state’s first OH-58 to Countryside Police Department. Since being placed into service in October 2005, the helicopter has logged more than 100 flight hours on homeland security, counter-drug and search and rescue missions.

In the fiscal year that ended June 30, CMS obtained surplus equipment worth $5.1 million for Illinois police agencies, up 34 percent from the previous year, and nearly double the $2.7 million provided in fiscal year 2004.

Source: www.illinois.gov

[TOP]

Sheriff’s Office To Receive Sixth Aircraft Delivery

In the last year, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office has acquired five mission-equipped Eurocopters at a cost of $2.6 million each. A sixth is expected to arrive in early September. While the primary purpose of all of the helicopters is air patrol, their water-dropping capabilities have played a vital role in firefighting this season.

State-of-the-art aircraft have become instrumental to firefighting in San Bernardino County, with its steep and rugged mountain terrain that makes access for firefighters on the ground difficult. The need was so great that for the first time in county history last month, a DC-10 jumbo jet that had been converted into an air tanker was brought in to help. It holds 12,000 gallons of flame retardant and can drop four times the amount of retardant onto a fire in a single pass.

Source: www.dailybulletin.com
Photo:  Dan Megna

[TOP]

Police Helicopter Makes Forced Landing

The Wichita (KS) Police Department's helicopter made an emergency landing in a middle school parking lot last month after it developed engine trouble while on routine patrol.

Sgt. Randy Reynolds said the aircraft was flying over west Wichita when the engine began to malfunction. The helicopter was set down without being damaged and was towed back to the department's heliport. Reynolds said he knew of no other cases in which the helicopter was forced down by engine troubles. "I've been here 18 years and this is the first time I've ever experienced it," he said.

Photo: Wichita Police Department

[TOP]

Arkansas County Acquires Surplus Aircraft

After 10 years on a federal surplus waiting list, the Faulkner County (AR) Sheriff's Office got word in June that their aviation unit would be receiving an aircraft. The 1968 OH-58 helicopter is expected to be ready for police operations by the first of next year. Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office says their newly acquired helicopter will soon be a big asset to the community.

Source: www.todaysthv.com

[TOP]

[Advertisement]

Police Pilot Loses Battle With Cancer

The Baltimore City (MD) Police Department Helicopter Unit regrets to announce the death of Flight Officer Lawrence (Larry) Lester, a 34-year veteran of the city's Helicopter Unit and an ALEA member. Lester lost a battle with cancer on August 13.

[TOP]

New Coast Guard Hangar Opens

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place last month to mark the opening of the U.S. Coast Guard’s new search and rescue helicopter hangar at the Muskegon (MI) County Airport. Construction of the new facility was made possible through language in the Coast Guard Authorization Act for 2004 and 2005, which allowed them to pursue a long-term lease with Muskegon County for the hangar.

Source: www.grandhaventribune.com
Photo:  LTJG Daniel F.Leary Jr.

[TOP]

Kentucky Agency To Build Regional Headquarters

The Lexington-Fayette (KY) Urban County Division of Police will get a $1 million regional headquarters at the Pelion Airport for storage of their law enforcement equipment, including a helicopter. The money for the 6,850-square-foot sheriff’s regional office is coming from federal Community Development Block Grant funding, used to improve blighted areas of the county. The Sheriff’s Department wants the building because it will conveniently place deputies in the center of the south region, its largest patrol area.

Source: www.thestate.com

[TOP]

Metro Police Offered Community Helicopter

Coyt Bailey, owner of Mercury Aviation Inc., offered to make a helicopter available for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and municipal law enforcement agencies around the Jackson, Mississippi area to share and fight crime at a minimal cost to taxpayers. Jackson City Council voted to support the agreement last month.

The helicopter, a Robinson R44 Raven II, will be equipped with the latest navigation and surveillance technologies and a spotlight capable of illuminating a city block. If surrounding counties choose to participate in the program, they would have to pay $25,000 a year. Smaller municipalities would be required to pay $10,000.

Source: www.clarionledger.com

[TOP]

[Advertisement]

RAVEN Commander Announces Retirement
 

Washoe County Sheriff's Office Substation Commander Gregg Lubbe announced his retirement last month. He is the commander and founder of the RAVEN Helicopter Unit, which handles airborne law enforcement from Reno, Nevada. After a 25-year career in law enforcement, Lubbe will move on to the private sector where he will utilize his law enforcement, military and aviation background. He plans to retire in October.

Source: www.tahoebonanza.com
Photo:  Washoe County Sheriff's Office

[TOP]

LAPD Upgrades Cockpit Displays

The LAPD Air Support Division has selected the SAGEM Avionics, Inc. Integrated Cockpit Display System (ICDS) as an avionics upgrade for their fleet of AS 350B2 helicopters. The new modifications will include two side-by-side display screens along with a digital attitude heading reference system.

The new “glass cockpit” will provide LAPD pilots and observers with enhanced systems presentations for primary flight instruments, navigation, and engine and aircraft systems monitoring. In particular, the Engine Management System (EMS) provides a digital replacement for all factory-installed engine and aircraft system indicators. The EMS consists of four pilot selectable pages that present a combination of engine and systems information along with a moving terrain map with GPS interface.

Source: Los Angeles Police Department
Photo:  SAGEM Avionics, Inc.

[TOP]

Northern Border Patrol Sets Up Airborne Assets

The first aircraft for the Northern Border Air Wing of the U.S. Border Patrol arrived last month in Great Falls, Montana. The Air Wing will patrol 456 miles of border from the Continental Divide east to the North Dakota border. This is the third of what will eventually be five posts along the U.S.-Canadian border. Posts in Washington state and New York are now operational, and the other two are scheduled to open in North Dakota and Michigan next year.

The new Air Wing consists of two Cessna Citation aircraft, two Black Hawk helicopters and one PC 12. Pilots and crews are armed law enforcement officers. They are trained and equipped not only to spot suspicious planes but also to chase them down. "We've been successful in keeping drug planes from crossing our southern border with our flight-interdiction operations, and our intent is to do the same thing on the northern border," said Dennis Lindsay, Director of Air Operations at the Great Falls division.

Source: www.billingsgazette.net
Photo:  Pilatus Aircraft, Inc.

[TOP]

[Advertisement]

South African Police Upgrades Fleet Equipment

The South African Police Services (SAPS) Air Wing Unit announced last month that Denel Optronics would supply their new gyro-stabilized airborne surveillance systems for their fleet of helicopters. The Goshawk 350 is fitted with continuous zoom thermal imager, daylight TV camera and auto tracking. The SAPS contract also provides for internal equipment (including an operator console with integrated LCD monitor and VCR), external role equipment and the supply and interface to digital microwave downlink systems. This virtual "eye in the sky" system will allow the SAPS to deploy their helicopters for day or night missions, law enforcement and border surveillance operations.

Photo: Denel Optronics

[TOP]

Minnesota Agency Orders Enstrom 480B

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has placed a purchase order for an Enstrom 480B helicopter to be outfitted with a loud hailer PA/siren system and mount systems for a surveillance camera and a SX-5 searchlight. The DNR Enforcement Division will operate the helicopter throughout the state, providing all non-fire resource assessment, census and law enforcement functions. In addition, the helicopter will assist in ensuring public safety and law compliance with state game, fish, recreational vehicle, and natural resource commercial operations. The helicopter will be based in Brainerd, Minnesota and is scheduled to be delivered to the DNR in September 2006.

Source: Enstrom Helicopters

[TOP]

HAI’s Salute To Excellence Awards

The Helicopter Association International’s annual Salute to Excellence award nomination period has begun and will close on October 3, 2006. Specific to police aviation is the MD Helicopters Law Enforcement Award. Individuals or organizations may be nominated for this and other safety, maintenance and service awards. More information can be found at www.rotor.com.

[TOP]

Call for Air Beat Articles

We’re already planning for next year’s editorial in Air Beat Magazine, and we’d like to invite you to participate. Subjects such as safety, fixed-wing, downlink technology, hoist operations, and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles are just a few of the topics planned. If you would like to write an article, submit photos or would like your agency to be profiled in Air Beat, please contact Lisa Wright at airbeat@alea.org or call 727-343-5600. You can also let us know what you think about past issues by writing a letter to the editor. We look forward to hearing from you!

[TOP]

For rates and availability, contact:

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

Get Your Organization's News Online

Send your press releases, company logos and photos to:

Lisa Wright
Editorial Director
airbeat@alea.org

Join Our Mailing List

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