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LAPD helicopter tracker with real-time operating costs

(lapdhelicoptertracker.com)
100 points polalavik | 1 comments | 21 Nov 25 22:11 UTC | HN request time: 0.001s | source
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BadBadJellyBean ◴[21 Nov 25 22:48 UTC] No.46009959[source]▶
I find it interesting that the question is "why don't they use drones". My question is: why so much air surveillance? I live in Germany. The only times I hear a helicopter is if someone is being rescued or if someones missing. I rarely see them at all.
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shoddydoordesk ◴[21 Nov 25 22:52 UTC] No.46009992[source]▶
There are high speed police chases (100mph+) in Los Angeles — no exaggeration — on an almost daily basis. Air support is the primary defense tool for law enforcement.

It's so bad that the local TV stations have their own choppers and a dedicated on-screen UI tailored for the chases with GPS-based tracking and speed.

If you're lucky you can catch one of the many YouTube live streams. Here's one from....two days ago: https://www.youtube.com/live/uGiJU-FlpdE

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chrisweekly ◴[21 Nov 25 23:14 UTC] No.46010216[source]▶
I wonder how much of the high-speed chase "scene" is actually fuelled by all the hoopla. (TV broadcasts of soccer/football matches tend not to show streakers on the field for this reason)
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1. jjwiseman ◴[22 Nov 25 00:42 UTC] No.46010882{3}[source]▶
In 2003, "Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn, along with Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, the California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Police Chiefs’ Association and the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners sent a letter Feb. 26 to news directors of television stations asking them to consider reducing the amount of police car chase coverage they broadcast."

  Officials asserted in their letter that live continuous coverage
  causes dangerous police chases to be looked upon as entertainment,
  and encourages suspects to flee in pursuit of instant fame.

  “Dangerous suspects are acquiring instant celebrity status when they
  recklessly evade police over our streets and highways. This form of
  notoriety is life threatening and should not occur,” said Los Angeles
  County Sheriff Lee Baca in the press release.

  "There have been instances where drivers look out windows and wave. Many
  [suspects] have made it abundantly clear that they’re enjoying the whole
  thing,” said Julie Wong, director of communications for the mayor’s
  office.