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AIR PATROL

PATROL FROM ABOVE

A police aircraft is an airplane, helicopter, powered paraglider, or blimp used in police operations. They are commonly used for traffic control, ground support, search and rescue, highspeed car pursuits, observation, air patrol and riot control. In major cities in the United States, police helicopters are

also used as air transportation for SWAT personnel.

FIRST IN FLIGHT
The first police aviation department was established in 1919 in New York City with two airplanes. Fixed wing aircraft have generally been replaced by the more versatile helicopter since the late 1940s. However, airplanes still have their uses in some missions, such as border patrol, as their

higher speed and greater operating altitude allows larger areas to be covered.

FULLY LOADED
Police helicopters are normally equipped with variants such as: night vision, FLIR, infrared, surveillance cameras, radar, special radio systems, engines, loudspeaker systems, tear gas dispensers, searchlights, winches and winch cables, flashing light beacons, police rescue equipment, special seating. Weapons are usually not attached to the aircraft. CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL

SWAT

Can an aircraft write you a ticket?

INSTRUCTORS MASTER
CADET HANDOUT

Genius Notes
GETTING A TICKET OUT OF THIN AIR Have you seen the sign Speed Limit Enforced By Aircraft. It immediately induced several silly scenarios to play out in my head. I suppose if you got it up to 260 km/h (160 miles per hour) you could potentially be chased by a Cessna aircraft but if you then slowed down again you would be resisting arrest? The fact of the matter is that planes are used on long open stretches of highway to observe and report aggressive drivers. Where you see these signs, youll also notice large white marks along the side of the road. Its a similar feeling as an ant walking along a yardstick. These marks are used for aerial measurement. The pilot can watch how fast you go between these white marks to figure out your speed visually. Then they call it in to see if a regular patrol car wants to pick up the chase the old fashioned way and track you down. In the case of commercial vehicles that can be recognized from the air, you could potentially get a speeding ticket in the mail directly from the pilot.

STORY PROMPT

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