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A day in the life of the crew of the police helicopter
Shortly before 8.00am Mark and Steve who have now changed into their Nomex fire resistant flying suits commence their daily routine which includes a number of administration tasks. These include:
As this routine is happening, the pilot is in the hangar carrying out his daily check of the aircraft to verify that no mechanical or electrical faults have developed since the last flight. Once completed the aircraft is moved using a hydraulic heli-lift to the "Helipad". It is now 09.00am and time for the crew brief. This follows a standard 12-point list including the day’s weather, navigation warnings, police operations, photo tasks and any problems with the helicopter or its equipment and any flight safety issues. Once finished Mark and Steve monitor the unit's control room scanning command and control logs of all on-going incidents within the operating area and listen in on radios. 09.55 The first job is for a request to search for a male wanted for violent offences possibly sleeping rough in a large area of open ground including woods and farmland. The area would have taken ground-based officers several hours to search. The helicopter arrives on scene and within a few minutes has located a tent with people inside. The information is passed to the control room whilst the helicopter remains in visual contact with it. Officers are then directed to the location and suspects are arrested. The helicopter then returns to base at 11.05 am for a refuel, prepared for the next tasking and flight. Operational logs are completed and any evidence prepared.
A report is received about a male in his 50s with a handgun pointing it at members of the public in an area of Bristol. Police armed response units are despatched as well as the helicopter to search and locate this male. After several minutes the aircraft locates the male sat on a bench on the cycle track. Armed units are directed, the male detained and a silver ball-bearing gun found in his waistband. On the way back to base the crew carry out a high visibility police patrol looking for anything out of the ordinary. They sight what appears to be a fire out of control. This was in the rear gardens of houses and had already engulfed a large fir tree and garden shed. Control rooms were informed and the helicopter remained to co-ordinate the response of fire and police units. 13.25 Mark, Steve and Bill are half way through lunch when a burglary in progress is noticed on the computer screen, a job suitable for the helicopter. Lunch is left on the desk and the crew run out to the helicopter and in a matter of minutes it is airborne in Gloucester. Flying time is about 10 minutes and the crew are obtaining full details over the radios. The first police officer arrives at the scene as a silver Renault Laguna makes off at speed being followed by police prior to being lost from sight. The helicopter arrives at the scene and locates the vehicle abandoned in a cul-de-sac. Officers are directed to the car. Due to the aircraft being overhead a member of the public rings in and states she saw two people running towards a building site. The helicopter is overhead in seconds, the males have no chance to escape, they are seen and soon arrested. 15.40 Paperwork just completed, pot of tea brewing, Mark hears that a vehicle has recently been stolen during a burglary, and the vehicle had been sighted being driven off road and into a field, the location is just minutes away from the base. The helicopter lifts and hears that ground units have stopped the vehicle, a number of persons detained, but the driver and two others had made off. As we fly overhead, one youth is spotted in a field trying to get out over a fence, whilst units are directed to his location, Bill spots two others going across a railway line and into dense woodland. The area is visually contained and a dog unit is sent into the trees. Within minutes these two offenders are detained, with no offenders outstanding. A good job for all involved, showing the ability of district units, dog handler and the helicopter working together to achieve an excellent result. The late shift The crew arrives in good time to take over the responsibility of the aircraft. Capt John Harrison, again an ex-military pilot and the senior line pilot for the unit, gets in first. He has a chat with Bill to discuss any issues that might have arisen during the day shift, but all is fine. Karen Elliot is in next, 20 years in service with Avon and Somerset police, ten of which have been with the helicopter unit, then Pete Harwood arrives shortly after. Pete has 23 years' service with Gloucestershire Police and 11 years with the unit. Once the late shift have changed into their kit, the crews discuss ongoing incidents that are being monitored, any requests for deployment that are pending, policing operations and how much milk is left in the fridge for them! With the day shift having gone home, Karen, Pete and John get ready for the 12-point briefing, again obtaining up-to-date weather charts. 18.45 Having just finished the brief, the crew are out of the door to try and locate a depressed female on the banks of the River Severn - a huge area to search but it can be checked by the helicopter in about 50 minutes. There was no trace of the female and the control room was informed to allow ground units other lines of enquiry to pursue. This was subsequently found to be a hoax call. 20.40 A vehicle containing five occupants, having been involved in criminal offences, was seen by police officers at a nearby shopping complex. This vehicle made off from the officers but crashed nearby, two suspects were detained with the vehicle, but two offenders ran off over fields nearby. The helicopter was overhead within minutes and located the males on open ground. Officers were directed on foot through several fields, as the offenders were still making off. The crew used the aircraft's public address system to communicate with the offenders, advising them to remain where they were. They were subsequently arrested on the arrival of the officers. 22.30 Deployed after reports of a suspect van at a remote commercial premises that has been subject of several thefts over the previous few days. On arrival, the crew, using the thermal image camera which detects heat, locate two suspects hiding at the rear of the premises. The officers at the front of the premises were directed to these persons, who then ran off into the darkness. Night then became day as they were illuminated by the helicopter’s powerful searchlight, the ’Nitesun’, and the inevitable arrests made. Back to base, for refuel, admin and a well-earned meal break. 01.30 A vehicle is located by a member of public on a rural road in the Cotswolds. The vehicle had sustained substantial accident damage, and seen nearby was a distressed male. The ground units arrived but could not locate the male. Serious concern for his welfare and so the helicopter requested to attend and search area. No trace of the male, who later turned up at a nearby police station safe and well to report the accident. The crew returned to base. No other suitable jobs come in and so the aircraft returned to the hanger at the end of the shift. This was a relatively busy day for the aircraft with some good results. |
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It’s about 07.30am when PC Mark Robertson, who has 26 years' service with Avon and Somerset Constabulary and PC Steve Mills, an officer with Gloucestershire Constabulary with 17 years' service,
start their shift. Both officers are police air observers who have been with the Air Support Unit for about three years and are keen to start their day shift crewing the helicopter.
Whilst chatting about the day ahead the shift pilot Capt Bill Parker arrives who is ex-military with a vast amount of experience.
12.05
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