Police use new helicopter systems in two arrests (Chicago)

ABC7 Chicago ^ | May 7, 2007

[KeyLargo]

Police use new helicopter systems in two arrests

May 7, 2007 - Chicago police used a new crime-fighting tool to make two arrests in the city over the weekend. It's a helicopter equipped with a thermal imaging system for spotting suspects in the darkness or in heavily wooded areas.

In the first arrest, Chicago police, aided by Cook County Sheriff's police, used helicopter before dawn Saturday to track down and arrest a man wanted in the shooting of a suburban Markham police officer.

In the second bust, Saturday night, the same helicopter task force helped Glenwood Police track down a man who had fled the scene of a drug and weapons raid.

The helicopter used Saturday had been out of commission for three months while it was being upgraded with new equipment, including infrared imaging and a moving map of the Chicago area's street grid.

[KeyLargo]

Of the country's biggest 10 cities, Chicago has been the only one who hasn't had even a single police helicopter. And we haven't for decades. Ironic since Chicago once boasted about creating one of the nation's first helicopter units. In the 1980's the program was terminated to cut costs. But times, they are a changin'.

Chicago put a police helicopter into service this week and hopes to purchase another one with a federal homeland security grant by the end of the year. The police will be using the helicopter to fight crime and for homeland security. They'll respond to calls for help with pursuits, both foot & vehicle, missing persons, and assist at large public gatherings. They'll be equipped with groovy technology like thermal imaging cameras, a map navigation system, and a video downlink that will let police at HQ have an aerial view from their desks.

All Chicagoist can think of when we hear about police helicopters is 1) car chases and 2) those hopeless scenes from Cops when the suspect is trying to run away on foot, half naked, but the police helicopter is chasing them down with the gigantic light from the sky. Maybe we get a local reality show, now that we got the helicopter, and just following the thing around to see if anything exciting happens.

Images via CPD

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2006/01/12/cpds_new_eye_in_the_sky.php

[KeyLargo]

AVIATION PING

[MindBender26]

Thermal is also loads of fun on hot summer nights for viewing couples on “tar beach.”

[subterfuge]

ONly 72,000 more arrests and it will have paid for itself!

[RoadTest]

You can run, but you can’t hide!

[jaydubya2]

Can it land at Meigs field?

[KeyLargo]

LOL! It's interested that anti-gun, anti-general aviation, pro illegal alien, Chicago Mayor Daley would give the OK for a police helicopter.

[agincourt1415]

Meigs Field the departed.

[Boxsford]

And it won't be long before they use to track down dangerous smokers in non-smoking areas.

It's a pretty cool weapon against crime. I just hope it gets used wisely.

[Boxsford]

And it won't be long before they use to track down dangerous smokers in non-smoking areas.

It's a pretty cool weapon against crime. I just hope it gets used wisely.

[Turbopilot]

Where’s it land? A terrorist attack destroyed the downtown airport about four years ago. It was never rebuilt as the terrorist who planned the attack happens to be the mayor.

[ARE SOLE]

Of the country's biggest 10 cities, Chicago has been the only one who hasn't had even a single police helicopter.

Amazing.

The LAPD has seventeen helicopters.

Regards

[wita]

Mayor Daley’s travesty trial should have been one week after the destruction. Followed by a public hanging. In fact public hanging needs a swift return to put reality back in the minds of those who would commit pretty much anything to get their way, like treason, murder, destruction of airports. What self styled terrorist could have accomplished more? I submit mayor daley accomplished in one night, what a terrorist could not do. One of those “stroke of the pen” things that we “little people” wouldn’t understand, or would we?