Sky Patrol

High above campus streets, rotors broke the early morning calm as an all-night party came to an end. The helicopter arced in low, orbiting in a tight circle; a searchlight beam trailed behind, bathing the ground with a pale, light.

Several students turned their heads and struggled to find the aircraft as it banked steeply around a section of trees and came into view. Even from 600 feet in the night sky, the two Columbus Police Helicopter Unit pilots probably never lost visual contact, while using strips of amber-colored light patterns to maneuver the agile bird to its destination.

The Columbus Division of Police operates seven helicopters, equipped with the latest in crime-fighting technology, that patrol the skies of Columbus and relay vital information to officers on the ground.

The air-patrol fleet is guided by a 20-pilot crew, which provides air support 16 hours a day, seven days a week.

"Columbus is the fifteenth largest city in the nation, but we are sixth as far as total aviation assets go," said Sgt. Bill Mangus, a 13-year veteran of the CDP Helicopter Unit.

The fleet logged 5,280 hours of flight time in 2002, while flying in continuous shifts from 12 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Of the 20 total pilots that scan the Columbus area, four received their flight training from the military, including Officer Jeffrey Ferguson.

Ferguson and Mangus are two knowledgeable airmen that provide the division with an aerial vantage of more than 15 times the surveillance ability of a ground unit.

Their experience in the air has produced stories of vehicle and foot pursuits, tracking missing people and guiding officers to the location of a suspected criminal's hiding spot.

"Someone on foot is the most challenging," Ferguson said. "If I was chasing you, and you were trying to get away, I could stand it (the helicopter) on its nose and sit and spin in a circle following you in a 20 to 25-foot radius."

Years of training and perfecting a personal flying technique have put Ferguson at a distinct advantage over fleeing suspects. But Ferguson and the rest of the pilots are now able to mix technological advancements with their natural instinct and ability to create a dominating force in the sky.

The newest of the seven helicopters, a fully equipped $1.1 million machine, looks intimidating, even while sitting quietly inside the hanger. The navy blue McDonnell-Douglas 500E is surprisingly compact, with an egg-shaped cockpit and faintly tinted windows. The blades are silent, the red and white tail rotor was motionless, and the midnight black skids were frozen to the concrete floor, but the helicopter still emitted a menacing aura.

Inside the cockpit, the pilot operates from the left side while the observer controls the GPS navigation system, infrared surveillance and the searchlight.

The searchlight projects a 30 million candle-power beam to the ground that is so powerful, pilots are reminded not to turn on the light within six feet of dry grass, Ferguson said.

"The searchlight beam can be narrowed down to the size of its face, or at 1,200 or 1,300 feet, can cover half a city block," Ferguson said. The power of the light can burn a person at a very close distance.

The cockpit becomes a physically and mentally demanding place when all factors are considered. A two-hour flight involves more than just cruising the town; pilots and observers must remain aware of their airspace while communicating with officers and airport towers, following navigational devices and operating flight instruments.

Officers Ken Ramos and officer Bruce Orlov worked in perfect rhythm as they skillfully guided the helicopter to calls citywide during a two-hour patrol flight. When a call was received, Orlov, acting as observer, received more information from the dispatcher while Ramos smoothly spun the aircraft in right turns to give Orlov the best view of the ground.

While sweeping above the streets at top speeds of 160 mph, it is essential that pilots have a pinpointed location to fly to. The Columbus Helicopter Division was the first in the nation to put a geographical, computer-generated map into its aircraft.

First used as a real estate appraisal tool by Franklin County auditors, the now-customized version of MetaMAP is used to locate exact addresses in the city as well as show the helicopter observer the distance to their destination, current speed and compass direction.

Orlov displayed the amazing capabilities of this device as he typed street names into the computer and directed Ramos to the yellow star on the screen - their destination for three specific support calls during a 4 to 6 p.m. patrol shift.

The pilots have a precise address, when before they had to keep an eye on an entire one or two block area. Now officers can arrive with their lights off to add to the element of surprise, Mangus said.

"We know the exact house, so if the bad guy is coming out the back door, we can direct officers in from the ground," Mangus said. "If we are within two and a half miles, it condenses down to a two-block detailed area. It shows swimming pools, garages, out buildings - anything we may need to know about the location."

The GPS navigation system can help get the helicopter to an objective, but what if the target is on the move? Last summer, Ferguson was in a suspect chase in which he utilized all of his ability and prior training.

Narcotics agents spotted a suspect from Phoenix, Ariz. - so sought after was the person that agents in Phoenix agreed they would pick him up and transport him back to Arizona when apprehended, Ferguson said. Ferguson located the suspect, tracked his progress north down Interstate 71 and followed the individual as he sped through two sets of spikes put down by officers. Ferguson maintained visual contact with the fleeing suspect as he drove on his rims for another 12 to 15 miles and was able to direct ground officers to the suspect's location when the vehicle drove off the road, ran down several pine trees and vaulted 20 feet in the air - landing nose-first in a nearby stream.

When speed is crucial in responding to an incident, the helicopter can make a difference with its ability to move through the city at high speeds, avoiding traffic and congestion. Columbus helicopters cover a five-zone region of Franklin County as well as bordering counties, Mangus said.

"The response time is under two minutes anywhere in the city," he said, adding that if a unit is patrolling in a particular zone during the time of a call, the response time drops to mere seconds.

An eye in the sky has been producing positive results for the Columbus Division of Police since 1972. Advancements in surveillance and infrared technology as well as experienced pilots provide a superior opportunity for apprehension of fleeing suspects and the recovery of missing people.

Even though these officers scan the streets from many feet above, they are still trained police officers that can land their aircraft anywhere in the city if an emergency situation arises, Ferguson said, adding that pilots still carry their firearm while on board.

"It is always an option to land," Ferguson said. "It's whatever you can and have to do safely."

Slideshow

More aerial and crew photos

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