APSA E-Newsletter : 2020 May

Welcome!

APSA's E-Newsletter is designed to bring you the latest on news and events within the public safety aviation community. The E-Newsletter may also be read online here at our website.

APSCON 2020 Celebrates 50 Years of Training Excellence

APSCON 2020, scheduled for Houston, TX, July 20-25, is still on at this time and registration is open on the website. We want to reassure our exhibitors, attendees and staff that health and safety are our top concerns as we continue to monitor the evolving situation around the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). To this end, the APSA Board of Directors will meet again next week to review all options and their decisions will be made with consideration to current guidelines provided by governmental and health authorities, including the World Health Organization, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

Should it be deemed impossible to hold this event as scheduled, we will either reschedule or cancel, with full refunds or payment credit given to those who have registered. Further updates will be provided via email, social media and our website, so check it often for the latest.

Award Nomination Deadline Extended Through May 15, 2020

For over 40 years, the Airborne Public Safety Association has encouraged the highest standards of professionalism in public safety aviation by acknowledging outstanding performance within our specialized industry. Annually, APSF presents seven awards for exceptional performance in or contributions to public safety aviation. Through the Awards Program, we recognize excellence by our members and others whose actions have had a positive impact on our profession.

APSF is now accepting award nominations through May 15, 2020. The awards will be presented during the Awards Reception on Friday, July 24, during APSCON 2020. For full details and to submit nominations, click here. 

APSA Now Offering Online Courses

The Airborne Public Safety Association is now offering its Remote Pilot-in-Command (RPIC) Course online via live webinars. Attendees can choose to take the course in four sessions over two weeks in May or two sessions over back-to-back days in June. The two-week RPIC will be conducted on Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 19, 21, 26 and 28. The two-day RPIC will be conducted June 2 and 3. Registration is now open for both courses.

APSA’s RPIC course is designed to provide students with a review of the Federal Aviation Regulations PART 107 Remote Pilot Certification Process. The course prepares students to pass the FAA Pilot’s Exam. Successful completion requires attendance of all classroom sessions. In addition, three briefings specific to law enforcement use of UAS are conducted. The course is intended for public safety personnel, both sworn and non-sworn, interested in obtaining their FAA Remote Pilot Certificate. Registration and more information is available on our website.

Houston Police Helicopter Crash Kills TFO and Injures Pilot

A Houston (TX) Police Department flight officer was killed and the pilot was critically injured when their helicopter crashed on May 2. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo identified the fallen officer as Jason Knox, 35, the son of retired officer and Houston City Councilman Mike Knox. Knox was an eight-year veteran of HPD and has a wife and two young children.

Knox, a tactical flight officer, and the helicopter's pilot, Senior Police Officer Chase Cormier were responding to reports of bodies in a bayou just before 2 a.m. when their aircraft, known as 75 Fox, careened into an apartment clubhouse. A Medical Examiner Unit working a nearby homicide saw the MD 369E helicopter go down, out of rotation.

Residents of the apartment building waved down crews arriving on scene, and it took approximately an hour for the officers to be extracted from what Acevedo called the "very mangled wreckage". Acevedo also said that it was a "miracle" that the helicopter had not crashed into residential buildings and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground.

Senior Officer Cormier, 35, joined the department in 2006 and remains in the hospital. "Please continue to keep the pilot in today’s crash in your prayers," the department tweeted. Acevedo said that Cormier who was listed in critical condition is now conscious with severe injuries.

HPD has one of the largest police air operation units in the country. The department has shut down flights for now until it has a chance to investigate and reassess. HPD will be relying on the Texas Department of Public Safety and Harris County Sheriff's Office for flight support in the interim.

“Our hearts are broken after the loss of an amazing officer. He was a great husband, father, son and friend," Acevedo posted on Twitter. "Above all else, he was a kind, gentle, generous, and honorable American. Our hearts go out to his family and all that knew and loved him. We pray for God's comfort."

Source: www.chron.com

APSA Members: Take Advantage of Free Webinars

While our in-person meetings have been temporarily suspended, APSA Training Program Manager Don Roby has been working with our instructors to create a series of live, 60 to 90-minute webinars for our members. These webinars are being offered at no charge as a benefit of membership; however, registration is required. The webinars scheduled to date are:

• Friday, May 15th at 1300 hours - Airborne Tactics: Nick Minx, Tactical Flying, Inc.
• Wednesday, May 20th at 1300 hours - Ask the Aviation Lawyer: Gregory Popp, P.A.
• Friday, June 5th at 1300 hours - CFI Roundtable and Discussion: Randy Rowles, Helicopter Institute; Bryan Smith, APSA Safety Program Manager and Ken Solosky, CFII
• Friday, June 12th at 1300 hours - IIMC: Bryan Smith, APSA Safety Program Manager
• Friday, June 19th at 1300 hours - Drone Maintenance…Manage it Like an Aircraft!: Mike Broderick
• Friday, June 26th at 1300 hours - Advanced Drone Tactics: Matthew King, Cass County (ND) Sheriff’s Office

Each webinar has a separate registration. To see the most up-to-date schedule and to register for any or all of these webinars, please visit our website.

Submit by May 15: FLIR Vision Awards Call For Entries

The tactical use of airborne thermal imaging can be one of the most powerful tools available to law enforcement. With the 25th Annual FLIR Vision Awards, FLIR Systems strives to recognize state and local law enforcement agencies for their contributions to public safety through the use of tactical, airborne thermal imagery.

Each year, FLIR asks law enforcement to submit their video footage shot during rescues, pursuits, apprehensions, and surveillance operations. Entries should highlight the tactical use of EO/IR technology and the importance of the airborne imaging system in the successful completion of the mission. You can find complete information on the awards, the official rules, the judging criteria and even submit your videos here. 

Multiple Departments Use UAS for Homeless Outreach

Two police departments in California have deployed unmanned aircraft systems to conduct homeless outreach, broadcasting coronavirus safety messages while protecting officers. The Fort Worth (TX) Police Department has also begun deploying the technology to help stop COVID-19’s spread among the homeless.

In San Pablo, north of Oakland, police said the UAS were part of a program to limit direct contact between officers and citizens. The department operates three UAS from Impossible Aerospace and has been deploying two of them in the fight against the novel coronavirus. The Chula Vista Police Department has also been using UAS to conduct homeless outreach over “difficult terrain and dense foliage.”

The Fort Worth Police Department launched its Homeless Outreach Program Enforcement in early April. “We can also use this drone to communicate emergency messages, such as our health emergency that we are in now,” said Lieutenant Amy Ladd of the outreach team. Ladd said drones were especially helpful in finding large, difficult-to-access homeless encampments.

SOURCE: www.nbcdfw.com and www.ft.com 

Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Grant Open Until May 29

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is seeking applications for the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program. There is $850 million available under the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding (CESF) Program to assist eligible states, local units of government, and tribes in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus. The solicitation can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh186/files/media/document/bja-2020-18553.pdf  and the eligible allocations can be found at https://bja.ojp.gov/program/cesf/state-and-local-allocations.

Applicants must register in the Grants Management System (GMS) at https://grants.ojp.usdoj.gov  prior to submitting an application under this solicitation. All applicants must register, even those that previously registered in GMS. Select the “Apply Online” button associated with this solicitation title. All registrations and applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time May 29, 2020.

Source: Department of Justice

California Man Arrested for Firing Shots at Sheriff’s Helicopter

A man wanted for being a felon in possession of a firearm was arrested on April 16, after he fired shots at a Riverside County (CA) Sheriff’s Office helicopter. Neither the helicopter nor its two-deputy crew was hit, Sergeant Deanna Pecoraro said.

Deputies had responded to the scene to investigate a report of a man riding an all terrain vehicle and carrying a rifle. As the sheriff’s helicopter watched the 28-year-old, he shot at the aircraft, Pecoraro said. The sheriff’s SWAT team approached him and arrested him without further incident. He was booked on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer and his arrest warrant.

SOURCE: www.pe.com 

2020 Photo Contest: Members Making A Difference

APSA invites you to enter its 2020 Air Beat magazine photo contest. Share your best shots to win a GoPro HERO Black8 camera. You're gonna love GoPro’s newest features; enter Air Beat's photo contest today for your chance to win!

To be eligible to enter, the photographer must be an APSA member in good standing, and the photos must have a public safety aviation element (aircraft, crew, mission, training, etc.) and include a caption. The submission deadline is June 15, 2020; entries are being accepted now at www.airbeatmagazine.com. The more photos you submit, the greater your chances of winning. The grand prize will be awarded on July 23, 2020 during the General Membership Meeting at APSCON 2020 in Houston, TX. The winner is not required to be present.

Fireworks Aimed at Italian Police Helicopter on COVID Patrol

Video footage shows fireworks aimed at an Italian State Police AW139 helicopter performing a COVID-19 patrol mission on Easter Sunday April 12. Italian Police helicopters have regularly been involved in COVID-19 oversight missions; when they spot gatherings of people breaching social distancing regulations, the crews can direct ground teams to intercept them.

The Italian State Police AW139 was flying a routine patrol mission when the crew spotted the group on a rooftop. As the helicopter approached the gathering, fireworks were aimed at it, forcing the crew to remain at a safe distance before departing. The scene was filmed from the helicopter and by neighbors. “These people are nothing but idiots,” Palermo Mayor Leoluca Orlando said. “We will track them down, and they will face the full force of the law.”

Fireworks are considered a hazard to aircraft. At night, they can temporarily blind aircrews; during daily activities they can be dangerous due to their peak altitude of about 200 feet, where they can hit aircraft and/or enter their engines.

SOURCE: www.theaviationist.com 

Oklahoma City Police Unveils $50,000 UAS Program

The Oklahoma City (OK) Police Department unveiled two new unmanned aircraft in mid-April. The department plans to use the UAS primarily at the scenes of traffic accidents and outdoor crimes. The UAS program has cost the department about $50,000 and will help investigators create 3-D incident scene renderings.

The Oklahoma City Police Department has five licensed UAS pilots in its traffic unit and one licensed pilot in the crime scene unit, according to Police Captain Larry Withrow. The department is “seeking to increase those numbers over time,” he said. At least 21 public safety agencies are currently using drones in Oklahoma.

SOURCE: www.oklahoman.com 

Two U.K. Helicopters Attacked by Laser

A man in Sunthorpe, U.K., was arrested in mid-April for directing a laser pointer at a police helicopter. Several days later, another National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter was targeted with a laser in Exeter.

The NPAS helicopter operating over Sunthorpe contacted Humberside Police after being struck, and officers were able to take one person into custody. Humberside officials posted about the incident on Facebook. “Following a call from our colleagues within the National Police Air Service, one male is now in custody for endangering an aircraft, after subjecting our police helicopter and its crew to a sustained laser attack,” the officials wrote. “#ZeroTolerance #FlyingCops.”

NPAS officers said they were “seconds away from pinpointing” the culprit's location in Exeter but failed to make an apprehension. NPAS said the culprit could have faced five years in prison if caught. The helicopter had been deployed to help locate a man in danger of taking his own life when laser attack occurred.

SOURCE: www.devonlive.com and www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk 

Let’s Meet Online: Upcoming Schedule for Safety, Maintenance, UAS and SAR Operators

APSA conducts regularly scheduled online meetings for safety officers, maintenance technicians, SAR personnel, and UAS operators via a conference call you can join using your computer, mobile device or phone. Online meetings are open to any APSA member. Contract maintenance providers to APSA members are welcome to participate in the maintenance meeting as well. To receive meeting information and be added to the mailing list, send an email to safety@publicsafetyaviation.org.

The schedule for upcoming APSA online meetings is as follows:
Maintenance: Wednesday, May 13, 2020 from 12:00-1:00 PM EDT (1600 UTC)
Safety Officers: Friday, June 5, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 PM EDT (1700 UTC)
SAR: Wednesday, June 10, 2020 from 1:00–2:00 PM EDT (1700 UTC)
UAS: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 PM EDT (1700 UTC)

Homeland Security Testing UAS as First Responders

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently began examining the uses of unmanned aircraft systems for public safety agencies in its First Responder Robotic Operations System Test (FRROST). As first responder organizations increasingly rely on UAS, DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate National Urban Security Technology Laboratory wanted to know how the agencies can be sure the drones they are buying meet their needs. The assessment was first performed under realistic field conditions at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center in Mississippi last November. “We are focused on the first responder community—fire, police and emergency management departments—and we are assessing small UAS,” said Cecilia Murtagh, FRROST project manager. “They are much cheaper than manned aircraft, which makes them an ideal tool for response agencies.”

SOURCE: www.aviationpros.com 

San Bernardino Helicopter Crew Rescues Paraglider From Canyon

A San Bernardino County (CA) Sheriff's Department helicopter crew rescued a 62-year-old paraglider who plunged into a canyon on April 15. A motorist had seen the paraglider deploy what appeared to be an emergency parachute and land in the canyon before calling 911. The San Bernardino Police and San Bernardino County Fire Departments received the call and requested sheriff's aviation assist in locating the downed paraglider.

An initial San Bernardino helicopter responded to the area and located the victim in steep terrain covered by heavy brush. Due to the conditions on the ground, the crew requested assistance from a rescue-equipped aircraft. Air Rescue 6 arrived on scene and hovered over the man while the crew chief lowered a San Bernardino County Fire medic approximately 170 feet to the man's location on the hillside. The medic placed the man in a rescue harness, and the crew chief hoisted him to the helicopter. Air Rescue 6 transported the man to a waiting ambulance. His condition was unknown.

SOURCE: www.fontanaheraldnews.com 

Gwinnett Police Says New Aviation Tech Helped Locate Missing Man

The Gwinnett County (GA) Police Department recently praised its new aviation equipment for helping locate a missing man. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Gwinnett County Police Department Aviation Unit on April 17 as deputies searched for the missing 40-year-old. “Within 54 minutes of taking off from Gwinnett’s Briscoe Field, the Aviation Unit located the male in the woods approximately one mile from his residence,” police said in a statement. “He was reunited with his family by Hall County deputies in good health. The male told deputies that he walked out of the woods because he could hear his name being called from the helicopter’s PA system.”

The helicopter used to find the man was Gwinnett County’s new MD 530F. The aircraft includes a variety of new technology, including the PA system and a forward-looking infrared camera system. “The aviation unit routinely assists neighboring counties, as well as all areas of the police department, as a locating tool for finding missing children/adults, suspects, vehicles and property,” police said. “They also play a critical role in coordinating with uniform officers during foot or vehicle pursuits, K-9 searches and incidents affecting traffic on the roadways.”

SOURCE: www.gwinnettdailypost.com 

Share Your Unit’s Mission Success Story & Expertise

APSA’s Air Beat magazine will be featuring a 3-part series focusing on the various disciplines that make up public safety aviation. They are 1) SAR and air medical operations, 2) airborne law enforcement, and 3) aviation firefighting and natural resource operations. Air Beat would like to share aviation unit success stories as well as tactics and training required to safely and successfully perform these missions.

For aerial SAR and air medical operators who would like to submit a unit profile article, the due date is May 31. Please contact Lisa Wright at airbeat@publicsafetyaviation.org if you would like to contribute an article and have your agency profiled in Air Beat. Our editors are happy to help edit your submission, so don’t be shy about the article writing. Articles are generally between 1000-1500 words in length and photos are welcomed.

For those members who would like to highlight their unit’s law enforcement story, the due date is July 15. For the topic of aerial firefighting and natural resources missions, the article due date is Sept. 13. Air Beat looks forward to hearing from you!

NYPD Rescues Stranded Kayaker After Spotting Sign From the Air

The New York (NY) Police Department rescued a man stranded on a remote island after his kayak sunk on April 17. The NYPD Aviation Unit found the man by helicopter, when the crew spotted him in Jamaica Bay, Queens. He had spelled out "HELP" using sticks and waved his hands to signal for the crew. The man had no injuries after being missing for more than 12 hours. NYPD spokesperson Sergeant Jessica McRorie told NBC News he became stranded after “his kayak took on water and went under.” He also started a fire to alert authorities to his location.

SOURCE: www.upi.com 

CAA Tightens U.K. Police Drone Regulations Due to COVID

A new U.K. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rule, issued on April 8 to update a March 27 regulation, has reduced the maximum operational height of police unmanned aircraft from 600 to 500 feet. CAA released Official Record Series 4, bulletin number 1361, in late March, allowing emergency services drone operators to fly their aircraft up to 600 feet above ground level and within 10 meters of people and vehicles. Members of the public flying drones must stay below 400 feet and 50 meters from people and vehicles. The March regulation was withdrawn and replaced in April, with the only difference being the lowering of the maximum height for police drones. “As the traditional aviation COVID support flights built up, [the drone height limit] was lowered to 500 feet to take those into account and deconflict from where they might now be operating,” a CAA spokesperson said.

SOURCE: www.theregister.co.uk 

Malaysian Police Approved for Coronavirus-Related UAS Operation

The Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM) recently gave the Royal Malaysia Police authorization to operate unmanned aircraft systems for the purpose of surveillance and enforcement during the country’s effort to curb the spread of COVID-19. CAAM said a statement the National Police Aviation Division would lead the drone operations in collaboration with the Malaysian Armed Forces and three private drone companies. The operation will involve more than 90 personnel from the five organizations and 92 drones throughout the country.

CAAM said all private UAS operations must be approved going forward, as they may endanger others in the airspace and public safety. Penalties imposed on individuals operating UAS without CAAM’s authorization could include a minimum fine of $11,500 and/or three years of imprisonment.

SOURCE: www.edgeprop.my 

Michigan State Police Continue to Monitor Shoreline Damage

A Michigan State Police helicopter has continued to document worsening shoreline damage caused by high water on Lake Huron. The footage was filmed from Trooper 3, a state police helicopter operating out of Freeland. “We’ve filmed a good portion of the shoreline around the state,” said Lieutenant Pat Lawrence, chief pilot for the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit. “I think it’s a good way to rapidly assess a large portion of the shoreline and help emergency managers make assessments on the damage they have in their area."

Emergency managers in counties across Michigan have requested flyovers in the past year, Lawrence said. According to Lieutenant Tim Ketvirtis of the Michigan State Police Emergency Management & Homeland Security Division, mapping Michigan’s shorelines can help update local emergency management on the state of roads and other critical infrastructure.

SOURCE: www.mlive.com 

New South Wales Helicopter Crew Helps End Dangerous Pursuit

The New South Wales (Polair) Aviation Unit in Australia helped follow and eventually arrest three teenagers in mid-April. The pursuit through Sydney resulted in a police officer being injured.

Police first spotted the suspects in a vehicle believed to be stolen. When an officer approached the vehicle, the driver started the car and fled, knocking the senior constable to the ground. Officers initiated a pursuit with the help of the aviation support unit, and the driver allegedly attempted to ram several police cars. Polair continued to follow the car until the suspects left it on foot. Three male teenagers were arrested. A fourth suspect remained at large. The injured officer was taken to a local hospital with injuries to his forearm.

SOURCE: www.2gb.com 

California Man Accused of Pointing Laser at Police Aircraft

An 18-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly pointed a laser at a Stockton (CA) Police Department aircraft. The incident occurred on April 8 as Stockton’s Falcon One Zero helicopter patrolled over the area around Rialto Avenue. During the mission, the laser beam entered the cockpit, and the helicopter crew was quickly able to point ground officers to the suspect. The 18-year-old was arrested and faces charges of pointing a laser at an aircraft.

SOURCE: sacramento.cbslocal.com    

Recent IHSF Data Shows Better Compliance with Recommendations

The International Helicopter Safety Foundation (IHSF) has compiled data from its fifth annual survey of civil helicopter operators located in key regions around the world in order to gain a broader understanding of where crucial safety initiatives are being implemented. The IHSF received more than 1,900 responses to the survey from 112 different countries.

The IHSFʼs worldwide regional teams have analyzed more than 1,000 helicopter accidents and have concluded that the following eight areas offer the best opportunities to prevent helicopter accidents:

1) Structured programs to fully comply with manufacturers’ recommended maintenance practices; 2) A structured program for initial and recurrent training; 3) The implementation of safety management systems (SMS); 4) The implementation of manual Health & Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS); 5) Installation of wire strike prevention systems; 6) The implementation of flight data monitoring (FDM) programs; 7) The implementation of automated HUMS; and 8) Usage of night vision systems.

The 2019-20 IHSF survey looked at where these best practices were followed within specific segments of the helicopter industry around the world. Overall, use of these eight “tools” in 2019 was 65 percent. The sector of law enforcement helicopter operations implemented the key recommended safety practices most comprehensively compared to other industry areas.

Source: International Helicopter Safety Foundation

APSA Welcomes New Members

APSA would like to welcome the following individual members who joined during April 2020:

Corporate Members:

Altomaxx Technologies Inc.
VDC Power
Vita Inclinata Technologies

Individual Members:

Jose Agudelo, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Julian Aristizabal, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Terry Brown, Jacksonville (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Bruce Burkett, North Dakota Game Fish Dept
Craig Cardell, Spalding (GA) County Sheriff's Office
Derek Carnagey, Missouri State Highway Patrol
Jonathan Cluver, Missouri State Highway Patrol
Jeffrey Collazos, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Michael Coraluzzo, St. Johns County (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Derek Crowley, Stanislaus County (CA) Sheriff's Department Air Support Unit
Lance Dauber, King County (WA) Sheriff
Austin Davis, Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit
Michael Demonda, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Louis Depergola, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Hansel Duran, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Jackson Fairburn, United States Army
Mandy Fama, St. Johns County (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Jason Goffred, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Jerry Griffin, Birmingham (AL) Police Department
Stephen Humber, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Joshua Humble, Stanislaus County (CA) Sheriff's Department Air Support Unit
Tyler Liburdi, Stanislaus County (CA) Sheriff's Department Air Support Unit
Mark Marar, VDC Power
Jay Marsden, St. Charles County (MO) Emergency Management
Daniel McDonald, Maryland State Police, Civilian Pilot
Timothy Moon, Wilmington (NC) Police Department
Valentin Morozov, Jacksonville (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
James Napier, USAF
Larry Nelson, Missouri State Highway Patrol
Abdullah Odeh, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Mark Parmenter, Jacksonville (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Gary Perna, St. Johns County (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Ravi Persaud, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit
Christopher Root, Texas Department of Public Safety
Nicholas Schureman, Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit
Richard Smith, Regional Aviation Support
Jeffrey Spencer, Maine Warden Service
Greg Suchy, St. Johns County (FL) Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit
Anthony Thompson, NYPD (NY) Aviation Unit