Police Helicopter

[tulsa1603]

For the second time in a week, a police helicopter is making circles above my house, my neighbor's house, etc - they are circling roughly from 15th to 16th between Evanston and Florence.  The first time was at midnight, and they were shining a spotlight.  Now they're just circling with no light.  Is there a reason for this??

[waterboy]

When they do it over my house, its either because they are tracking a pursuit by air for the patrol on the ground (there are a couple of bars nearby) or they are familiarizing themselves with the area and techniques for pursuit. Pretty weird when the lights shine right down on you.

[sgrizzle]

I see them quite often at night. Usually if you're close enough to a main raod, you may see cars as well. If there are break-ins or thieves running on foot, they may use the copter. Keep in mind they have infrared now so you may not see a spotlight.

[Johnboy976]

That has been the case all throughout the city. My mother lives in South Tulsa. Over Christmas my wife and I were visiting from Kentucky, and we couldn't help but notice the helicopters buzzing over us on an almost nightly basis. Being that she was once a flight-instructor, she was pretty sure that they were familiarizing themselves with the area.

[NellieBly]

The copters in south Tulsa during the holidays were probably taking people on Christmas light tours.

[DM]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa1603

For the second time in a week, a police helicopter is making circles above my house, my neighbor's house, etc - they are circling roughly from 15th to 16th between Evanston and Florence.  The first time was at midnight, and they were shining a spotlight.  Now they're just circling with no light.  Is there a reason for this??

Whats your address? That way I can tell them exactly where to come pick you up instead of flying  around looking for you. [] [}:)]

As for the helicopters flying around during the holidays, it was light tours that take off from 101st and Memorial.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa1603

For the second time in a week, a police helicopter is making circles above my house, my neighbor's house, etc - they are circling roughly from 15th to 16th between Evanston and Florence.  The first time was at midnight, and they were shining a spotlight.  Now they're just circling with no light.  Is there a reason for this??

I heard it too, in this area we are also close enough to Hillcrest and St. Johns that we get life flights going over fairly frequently.

The news helicopters were especially annoying right after the downburst last spring.  I'm a few blocks east of you on the north side of 15th.  Do you ever get tired of the fire runs in the middle of the night?

[D]

The don't search with infrared at the same time they have the light on.

I'm glad Tulsa police has the helicopters. Strangely comforting....

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by D

The don't search with infrared at the same time they have the light on.

I'm glad Tulsa police has the helicopters. Strangely comforting....

Be more comforting if they could actually sneak up on anything. Noise cancellation is not that new. Hell, Airwolf had it.

Imagine how scared a criminal would be if Airwolf snuck up on them...

[Renaissance]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

quote:Originally posted by D

The don't search with infrared at the same time they have the light on.

I'm glad Tulsa police has the helicopters. Strangely comforting....

Be more comforting if they could actually sneak up on anything. Noise cancellation is not that new. Hell, Airwolf had it.

Imagine how scared a criminal would be if Airwolf snuck up on them...

Dude, I would SO support a bond issue that guaranteed TPD Airwolves.

[tulsa1603]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by tulsa1603

For the second time in a week, a police helicopter is making circles above my house, my neighbor's house, etc - they are circling roughly from 15th to 16th between Evanston and Florence.  The first time was at midnight, and they were shining a spotlight.  Now they're just circling with no light.  Is there a reason for this??

I heard it too, in this area we are also close enough to Hillcrest and St. Johns that we get life flights going over fairly frequently.

The news helicopters were especially annoying right after the downburst last spring.  I'm a few blocks east of you on the north side of 15th.  Do you ever get tired of the fire runs in the middle of the night?

Haha, well, my first house was in the pie shaped neighborhood between harvard, the BA, and just south of 21st.  My house backed to the BA.  Only after I had lived there a few weeks did I realize that there were also train tracks in the middle that were still operational...let me tell you, the fire truck sounds are downright pleasant to me after living over there!!

I do occassionally notice the hospital helicopters, but this was definitely more noticeable due to the low elevation they were flying at, and the repeated circling of my block.  Watching them shine the lights in me and my neighbors backyards was more than a little concerning.

[Steve]

quote:Originally posted by tulsa1603

For the second time in a week, a police helicopter is making circles above my house, my neighbor's house, etc - they are circling roughly from 15th to 16th between Evanston and Florence.  The first time was at midnight, and they were shining a spotlight.  Now they're just circling with no light.  Is there a reason for this??

I live just 1.5 miles southeast of you at 26th & Yale.  I probably hear the helicopters just as much as you do.  They have never been much of a problem for me.  Be they police or EMSA, at least I know they are in the business of protecting life and property.

I can also hear the train whistles from the trains transversing the BA Xway, but I live far enough away that it is just a soft, distant noise.  Usually around 10:30 PM and 2:00 AM each night, if I am awake I can hear these faint distant train whistles.  Seems kind of old-fashioned nostalgic to me; I like it!

A bottle of Jack Daniels, a failed romance, a soft rain, and the train whistles in the distance. Seems like the makin's of a great country song!

[Mike G]

I also know the police helicopters do lesser things than just major crimes and fleeing suspects.  I saw one make a traffic stop (and yes, the guy pulled over after he figured it out).  The helicopter spot-lighted a guy that was speed up memorial and after about a half mile, he pulled over and about 3 minutes later the patrol cars showed up to write him a ticket.

A few weeks ago, I heard an officer make a traffic stop and dispatch asked for a backer (second unit).  After a minute of asking and no one backing, Police 1 (on of their two helos) said he would back.  I though that was hilarious that the helicopter was backing on a traffic stop.

They will also come out at the request of TFD or EMSA if we are looking for a possible patient, but usually that is out where there's a lot of open land or on the river.  I haven't had them out in a neighborhood before.

[sauerkraut]

I am against those cop choppers. I think they are ineffective and wasteful of taxpapyers money. They (police) offten like to say the choppers are good to catch a guy fleeing in a car, fine but then why do cops in cars still race after the car in flight, if a chopper is watching- he cannot escape the chopper's eye and Cop chases offten end in wrecks, and chasing a drunk is even more dangerous, or using "stop sticks" to punchure the tires. That just gives the driver even less control of his vehicle and makes a crash that much more likely. I don't get that at all.

[MH2010]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

I am against those cop choppers. I think they are ineffective and wasteful of taxpapyers money. They (police) offten like to say the choppers are good to catch a guy fleeing in a car, fine but then why do cops in cars still race after the car in flight, if a chopper is watching- he cannot escape the chopper's eye and Cop chases offten end in wrecks, and chasing a drunk is even more dangerous, or using "stop sticks" to punchure the tires. That just gives the driver even less control of his vehicle and makes a crash that much more likely. I don't get that at all.

Do you realize that everything you just said was wrong?