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WPD catches first suspect with helicopter

by Snelgrove Bottomly | March 12, 2007 at 08:59 am

983 views | 2 Recommendations | 3 comments

The Wilmington Police Department (Delaware) has a new shiny helicopter. I'm of mixed minds about it - yes the cops need to have new tools but I'm a little nervous about the total surveillance society that we seem to be developing. And yet, catching bad guys is important.

Here is one group that is opposed to police helicopters (in Canada) : Stop the Choppers:

Our volunteer group has
worked with few resources to oppose the purchase and donation of police helicopters
in Toronto since 2000. We find no need for the purchase of police helicopters
due to their noise, surveillance, expense and lack of demonstrated usefulness
in crime situations.

WILMINGTON -- The WPD deployed its new helicopter for the first time Thursday night after an attempted armed robbery near New Center Drive.

A little after midnight police responded to an armed robbery off of College Road, in the parking lot of Rack'm Pub and Billiards.

Officials say two suspects robbed a woman and then assaulted a man, before running from police.

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SpotlightKid

at 21:12 on March 12th, 2007

A much mooted public view here in Johannesburg, South Africa, is that crime is out of control. Yes, it seems, from newspaper reports, that this is one violent society. Various 'tracking' companies use helicopters, fixed wing and ground vehicles to trace stolen, high-jacked and 'missing' vehicles on behalf of paying customers. The police use helicoptors to fight crime with their rapid response air wing, chasing down 'cash-in-transit' heist perpertrators, murder suspects and the like. The thing is that the police air wing operates 25/7 so it is quite common to have a helicoptor overhead during the night, search light sweeping, as they track and chase criminals. The success rate of the air wing here in Johannesburg runs on average to 98%, with very experienced pilots and ground based potrols working together. Not that there has not been any mishaps, but these are few and far between, concidering the number of hours flown, day and night.

bellaparola

at 15:53 on March 23rd, 2007

This Wilmington is NOT in Delaware, it is in North Carolina.

Wisconsin, isn't that a province in Canada?

;-]

bellaparola

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 14:44 on May 19th, 2007

Please get the news story about Wilmington NC off of here. It has nothing to do with the Wilmington, Del., story you have included it in. This NOT good stuff but I don't know how to takethat stupid flag off.