March 2007

Airborne Law Enforcement Association, Inc.

ALEA  E-Newsletter

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HAI Recognizes Law Enforcement Contributions

The Helicopter Association International’s annual event, Heli-Expo, was held this month in Orlando, Florida. Members, exhibitors and industry friends honored this year's “Salute to Excellence” award winners with a video recognizing their tremendous achievements. Specific to law enforcement, the Agusta Community Service Award was presented to the New York City Police Department Aviation Unit and the MD Helicopters Law Enforcement Award was presented to Monica McIntyre of the City of Lakewood’s (CA) Skyknight Program. On behalf of his department, Chief Pilot Jack Reichert of the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Aircraft Section was also presented with an award from American Eurocopter for 40,000 accident-free hours.

Thirty-five helicopters were displayed throughout this year’s Heli-Expo showroom floor including the Suffolk County (NY) Police Department’s new EC145, the Fairfax (VA) Police Department’s modified Bell 407 and Citrus County (FL) Sheriff’s Office recently acquired AS-350B3. It was reported that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police took delivery of a new AS 350B3 helicopter from Eurocopter Canada and the San Antonio (TX) Police Department accepted its fourth Schweizer 333 aircraft.

ALEA President Dan Schwarzbach, Secretary Martin L. Jackson, Southeast Region Director Ralph Groover, Executive Director Steve Ingley, Safety Program Manager Keith Johnson, and Education Program Manager James Di Giovanna were available to answer police aviation questions and greet new and old ALEA members its newly redesigned booth.

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Topeka Police Department Take Aircraft Delivery

After Schreib-Air, Inc. installed a custom computerized GPS mapping system and police radio, the Topeka (KS) Police Department took delivery of their new Robinson R44 helicopter last month.

In addition to standard equipment, the Topeka police helicopter is equipped with the FLIR 8500, zoom color camera, gyro-stabilized gimbal, moving map system, digital recording system, a remote slaved searchlight, public address siren and speaker system.

Source: www.shephard.co.uk

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PA Police Helicopter Help Set LoJack Milestone

LoJack Corporation reached a milestone in January. A vehicle was tracked and recovered by a joint effort between the Philadelphia Police Department Aviation Unit and the Philadelphia Police Major Crimes Auto Squad, both of which were equipped with the LoJack System. The Philadelphia helicopter tracked the signal of the stolen vehicle to its approximate location and ground officers then used the LoJack System to pinpoint the vehicle's precise location. That was the 100,000th stolen vehicle recovered in the United States using LoJack’s technology.

Richard T. Riley, LoJack's Chairman and CEO said, "The LoJack System's integration with more than 1,800 law enforcement agencies in the United States has proven time and time again to be a solution that works. It has enabled law enforcement utilizing our system to recover thousands of stolen LoJack-equipped vehicles, while also helping them put criminals behind bars.

Source: www.lojack.com

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New Pilots Hired for Calgary Police

Four pilots will begin training on the Calgary (Canada) Police Service’s choppers in mid-March, just in time for the arrival of the unit’s HAWC2 aircraft delivery in May. News reports indicated that HAWC1 flew only seven days in a one-month period and was having to turn down calls due to staffing shortages after two of the helicopter unit's four pilots quit.

Source: www.calsun.ca

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FLIR Hosts "Infrared Open House"

Are you interested in learning more about infrared technology? FLIR is offering more than 180 free infrared seminars specially created to bring you up to speed with the latest on infrared throughout the United States and Canada in 2007. Whether you’re a long-time infrared user or just getting started, you can learn even more by attending. Seats for these free seminars are already filling quickly in many locations. Review the 2007 seminar schedule at www.infraredseminar.com and register today! For information by phone, please call Martha Wouralis at 800-254-0633.

Source: www.electricnet.com

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Virginia Department Upgrades Aircraft

The Fairfax County (VA) Police Department has upgraded the department’s 1996 and 2000 model year Bell 407 aircraft with state-of-the-art safety and mission equipment.

Mission enhancements include the L-3 WESCAM MX-15 geo-stabilized infrared and video system integrated with AeroComputers LE-5000 tactical moving map system enabling precision target locating. Vectorbeam Technologies A800 Trakka Searchlight systems provide normal and covert illumination capability for NVG equipped ground officers and flight crews. Tyler Tech Tactical Platform systems quickly adapt the aircraft for tactical operations and cargo carrying missions. Paradigm Aerospace Corporation completed the entire project in only eight weeks.

Source: www.verticalmag.com

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Coast Guard Takes on New Mission

Crewmembers from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City (NJ) have recently been tasked with conducting the Coast Guard's National Capital Region (NCR) air defense mission. The bright orange colored helicopters that are so common to coastal community residents and beachgoers across the nation are now becoming a familiar sight in the skies over D.C.

In a small ceremony held in September 2006, the Coast Guard officially assumed responsibility for the Rotary Wing Air Intercept (RWAI) mission from Customs and Border Protection. "The Coast Guard's unique authorities and competencies as both a military service and a federal law enforcement agency enable us to assume permanent responsibility for executing the vital mission of protecting the National Capital Region airspace for the Department of Homeland Security in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command’s (NORAD) multi-layered air defense mission," said Admiral Thad W. Allen, commandant, U.S. Coast Guard.

In order for the pilots and crew of the air station to accommodate this full time mission into their already busy schedules of search and rescue and law enforcement, the unit has been outfitted with four additional HH65-C Dolphin helicopters on top of its previous total of six and has doubled its permanent staff.

Source: www.capemaycountyherald.com

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Mechanic with Aviation Passion Dies

Billy Borcherding, Director of Maintenance for the Hernando (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit, passed away last month after a nine-month battle with lung cancer. Michael Coburn, the department's chief pilot and a friend of Mr. Borcherding, said, "He was a behind-the-scenes hero."

Borcherding began repairing helicopters at age 17. That launched a 13-year career in aviation for the U.S. Customs Service. During the Persian Gulf War, he moved overseas to teach the Saudi Arabian Air Force, an assignment he took to pay for college for his two daughters. When he returned to the United States, he began working for the Hernando Sheriff's Office and was there for 12 years.

His wife of 30 years, two daughters, and five grandchildren survives Borcherding, 51.

Source: www.sptimes.com

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Korean Police Implement UAVs at Protests

South Korean police are considering two unmanned aerial vehicles to help identify leaders of violent protests. The high-tech machines, currently in use by military and urban police units, are equipped with cameras to collect photographic evidence even at night or in bad weather. Police officials plan to test the adaptability of the machines at local protests this month.

Police officials also revealed that they are developing a system that will identify the faces of masked protesters. This system will operate in conjunction with the existing facial recognition system that identifies suspects captured on CCTV or camera. The new technologies are needed because the courts recently raised the standard of evidence for arrest warrants and trials, a Korean police news report explained.

Source: www.times.hankooki.com

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Alabama County Adds Surplus Aircraft to Fleet

Etowah County (AL) Sheriff’s Office acquired an OH-58 helicopter through the 1033 program in January, with upgrades expected later this year. The helicopter will compliment the Cessna 172, which the department currently operates. The helicopter has already proved its usefulness, finding marijuana, performing SAR, and assisting in a high-profile warrant execution last month. The helicopter is based at the Northeast Alabama Regional Airport in Gadsden.

Source: www.etowahcounty.org

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MD Helicopters Delivers New Aircraft

From the order announcement in July 2005, MD Helicopters has now delivered a new MD520N helicopter to the Glendale (CA) Police Department, which will replace a 1992 aircraft.

This is the fifth MD 500 series aircraft purchased by the Glendale Police Department and the third MD 520N. It joins a fleet of two MD 520Ns and one MD 500E aircraft operated by the Glendale-Burbank Police Air Support Unit. The unit flies over 3,000 hours per year in support of the Glendale and Burbank Police Departments, and the missions include patrol, surveillance, SWAT and K-9 deployment, as well as long line and swift water rescue.

Source: www.shephard.co.uk

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Farewell to LAPD Pilot

The Los Angeles Police Department’s Air Support has lost one of its best and brightest to cancer last month. After a 10-month battle, Command Pilot Wayne Oatis, 42, lost the fight with this terrible disease. He had just completed pilot training when he learned of his condition. Please keep Wayne and his wonderful family in your thoughts and prayers.

Click the image on the left to view it full screen.

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ALEA Seeks Webmaster

The Airborne Law Enforcement Association has an immediate opening for a Webmaster. This individual is responsible for coordinating day-to-day operations and marketing of various web site programs, updating the web site and coordinating broadcast e-mail programs, including the E-Newsletter. The ideal candidate should have excellent project management, organization, and communication skills, as well as a solid understanding/familiarity with XML, PHP, ASP, MS SQL, Flash, and CCS. Applicant must have knowledge of web server capabilities and operations and must be prepared to provide for a fully compliant W3C website.

Essential duties and responsibilities include: Create and effectively arrange graphics, images and all other content on ALEA’s website. Work to create and integrate multimedia content, as well as daily content management and page production. Requirements include: Bachelor’s degree minimum; three to five years experience in web management, design, production and online marketing. Strong organizational and time management skills; ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines; excellent writing, editing, proofreading and verbal skills required. Creativity is essential.

For consideration, please mail or e-mail your resume, references and salary history/requirements to: ALEA, Attn: Stephen J. Ingley, 411 Aviation Way, Suite 200, Frederick, MD 21701 or Email to singley@alea.org.

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Awards & Scholarship Nominations Open Now

ALEA is now accepting nominations for its annual awards as well as applications for scholarships. Eligibility and further details can be found in the current edition of Air Beat Magazine as well as the ALEA website. The submission deadline is May 1, 2007. The names of the award winners and scholarship recipients will be announced during the 37th Annual ALEA Conference and Exposition in Orlando, Florida on July 11-14, 2007.

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Jennifer Thornton
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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 2007 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