Police Helicopters

[raptor56]

Seeing the State Police helicopter flying over head with spot light shining on I-94 this evening got me thinking. Do any South East MI cities have police or emergency use helicopters anymore? I have fond memories of the Warren Police chopper flying over as a kid. They would fly over my grandparents house on late summer evenings when it was still relatively light out. My cousins and I would wave to the pilots who would occasionally wave back. I imagine an air unit in a city like Detroit could be rather useful for crime fighting.

[Blueidone]

Raptor...I don't think any of the cities have them anymore. My sister used to date one of the Warren pilots...he would buzz her house and shine that huge light into her bedroom at night to wake her up! What years are you talking about? Where did your grandparents live?

Did you hear what happened tonight? Some car went off the freeway into the gravel pit full of water. One dead for sure. Unknown if there were others in the car.

[raptor56]

My grandparents used to live on Sutherland, between Martin and 11 mile\696, just west of Bunert. This was late 80's\early 90's

I heard the I-94 crash from my condo living room on the SCS golf course. Sounded like screeching tires then a small crunch. The sound didn't resemble the roll over I heard last year. Tried to take pics of all the emergency vehicles, but the camera doesn't work so well at night. The MSP Helli on scene prompted my post. There are still a handful of police cars on the freeway [[4 hours after the accident). It was a pretty eventful evening if you like to gawk.
http://www.wxyz.com/news/story/Polic...kb2U5l7Ig.cspx

This is the second accident on that stretch of freeway in the last 3 days. the one on Monday involved 3 ambulances and a couple fire trucks.

[Meddle]

DPD doesn't have a aviation unit anymore? They had several birds at one time.

[Supersport]

DPD does in fact have their air unit back, though I believe it is only one helicopter at this time. DPD has some sort of agreement with MSP, as it's their helicopter. We have a few pilots left on the force, which I believe share time between being the spotter/pilot.

DPD also got their mounted division back this past International Fireworks.

[stasu1213]

Has anyone seen the army helicopter fly over downtown today? It had two propellers. One at the front top and the other in the rear top. Like the ones that were used in vietnam. What is going on?

[Downriviera]

Police Helicopters are passe, Homeland Security drones are where its at these days.

[Detroitej72]

DPD does in fact have their air unit back, though I believe it is only one helicopter at this time.

Any chance DPD would bring back Gene "Moon" Mullins to pilot the chopper?

[alreddog]

I live north west Detroit Detroit PD is useing a heilcopter gun shots whent off at 11:PM some one shot up a house in back of are house 10 police cars and the heilcopter came wow it was something to see like when i lived on east Detroit when i was a kid

[Michigan]

They would, but they are afraid the officers will sleep at the wheel!

Did anyone see that photo?

[xphillipjrx]

I grew up in Southfield at 9 & Southfield. I remember seeing the Southfield PD chopper about as frequently as I saw the choppers from Channels 2 and 7. Bell Jet Rangers. And one of the traffic copters was one of those old glass bubble Bell choppers like in M*A*S*H.

[kraig]

Any chance DPD would bring back Gene "Moon" Mullins to pilot the chopper?

LMAO. This guy kept the Lelli's on Woodward open all by himself. He got caught spending thousands on just drinks at the place.

I remember about 15 or so years ago when DPD tried to transfer a prisoner on the helicopter. The guy overpowered the police, took a police issued gun, and made the pilot land at Kettering High School. They caught him a hours later somewhere around Van Dyke.

[mauser]

I live in Harper Woods. We get Blackhawks from Selfridge that buzz our hood. There were three in the air at one time over the Moross/East7Mi area one day. I am talking about full military aircraft. I was told that the gang activity along the 7 mile corridor has surpassed the abilities of local authorities. Not sure what a Blackhawk is used for while chasing gang kids through the neighborhoods, but that is what is in the air over here. They rattle your house like a freight train when they go over head.

Posse-Comitatus-atcha.

[xphillipjrx]

I was told that the gang activity along the 7 mile corridor has surpassed the abilities of local authorities. Not sure what a Blackhawk is used for while chasing gang kids through the neighborhoods, but that is what is in the air over here.

That would be some big news if Blackhawks were being used in anti-gang efforts. I live in Chicago. Earlier this week a couple council member proposed using National Guard in gang neighborhoods.

[Jimaz]

I live in Harper Woods. We get Blackhawks from Selfridge that buzz our hood. There were three in the air at one time over the Moross/East7Mi area one day. I am talking about full military aircraft. I was told that the gang activity along the 7 mile corridor has surpassed the abilities of local authorities. Not sure what a Blackhawk is used for while chasing gang kids through the neighborhoods, but that is what is in the air over here. They rattle your house like a freight train when they go over head.

Posse-Comitatus-atcha.

Occasionally we get a Chinook overhead. I assume they come from Selfridge too. Those suckers a loud when they fly low.

[Stinger4me]

I did know one of the pilots, Ed Rojowski flew for DPD maybe back in the late 70's or early 80's. Lost track of him though. Does anybody recognize the name?