Police Helicopters and Their Invaluable Contribution to Law Enforcement

Police helicopters have been in use since the mid-1960s. Their use at first was questioned because the cost of helicopter operations is quite expensive for a police department. However, the usefulness that the helicopter provides a police department will be illustrated throughout this paper. Some of its current uses include: (1) surveillance; (2) emergency response; (3) backup to patrol units; (4) high speed pursuits (5) show of force; (6) special weapons and tactics (SWAT) team insertions; (7) search and rescue (SAR); and (8) terrorist response. The possibilities of the helicopter in use today and in the future are limitless.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the studies conducted on the effectiveness of police helicopters and their contributions. Helicopters, because of their initial cost and maintenance, are not cheap to operate. They are more expensive to operate than an airplane, especially turbine powered helicopters. However, their contributions to society are invaluable. 

Several examples of the helicopter’s effectiveness in the US and abroad will be discussed. Particular recognition will be given to a study conducted in Calgary, Canada with comparison to a neighboring city, Edmonton. This study will expose results that indicate the helicopter has not only been an effective tool for law enforcement but it also has the potential to deter crime. 

Lastly, newer technology will be discussed in helicopter advancements and also equipment used by police helicopters. One of the main criticisms about helicopter operations, from the community that it serves, is its noise nuisance. Newer technological advancements will be discussed in ways to lessen the noise nuisance of police helicopters. However, the noise is a by- product of the police helicopter and this paper suggests that the helicopter is in fact an effective crime fighting tool in today’s criminal justice system.

Click here to download the study in Acrobat Reader Format


Click here to contact the study's author

 

Joomla! Debug Console

Session

Profile Information

Memory Usage

Database Queries