>> NOW TO CRIME CHOPPERS, THEY ARE THE EYES IN THE SKIES. WHETHER IT’S A POLICE CHASE, A
MANHUNT OR MISSING PERSON. THE
JACKSONVILLE SHERIFF’S OFFICE
DEPLOYS ITS AVIATION UNIT TO
HELP.
>> AT 875 SQUARE MILES.
JACKSONVILLE IS THE LARGEST
CITY IN THE CONTINENTAL U.S.
JERRY. SO JUST STARTED FLYING
2 NEW HELICOPTERS WHICH PILOTS
SAY WILL HELP THEM CATCH
CRIMINALS FASTER AND HELP
THOSE WHO NEED IT. THE MOST.
ONLY ON NEWS. 4 JAX
VIC MICOLUCCI TAKES US HIGH IN
THE AIR ON PATROL DAY AND
NIGHT INSIDE THE NEW HIGH-TECH
CRIME FIGHTING TOOLS.
♪
>> THE CALL CAN COME IN ANY
TIME.
♪
TIME. ♪ AND JSO IS HELICOPTERS CAN GET
THERE IN MINUTES.
♪
♪
♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ OFFICERS SEARCHED THE PROPERTY
AND DO NOT FIND ANYONE.
BESIDES THE RESIDENT, SHE’S
SAFE. THEY TELL US THEY TREAT
EVERY MISSION LIKE IT’S LIFE
OR DEATH.
>> WE’VE GOT GET TO HELP
PEOPLE. AND THAT’S THE WHOLE
IDEA HERE. I JUST LOVE DOING
WHAT I’M DOING.
>> WE SPENT 2 DAYS AIRBORNE
WITH THE AVIATION UNITS,
OFFICERS LUPHER ERA AND CARL
ODOR IN THE COCKPIT. THEY’RE
AMONG JSO IS 12 PILOTS AND 3
MECHANICS BASE THAT CRAIG
AIRFIELD.
>> NOW THE AGENCY HAS 2 NEW
HELICOPTERS. LOT OF OUR CALLS
ARE MISSING PERSONS RETURN TO
LOCATE THEM PRETTY EASILY WITH
THE NEW AIRCRAFT.
>> YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE THIS
HELICOPTER JSO HAS USED IT AND
TO SIMILAR ONES FOR ABOUT 18
YEARS. BUT PILOTS SAY THE
TECHNOLOGY WAS GETTING DATED
AND THEY WANTED TO KEEP UP
WITH THE TIMES. AND WHILE THEY
STILL USE THIS ONE, THEY SOLD
THE OTHER 2 AND THE
DEPARTMENT. BUT 2 BRAND NEW
HELICOPTERS.
>> THE PRICE TAG NEARLY
12 MILLION DOLLARS FOR BOTH OF
THEM. TAXPAYERS COULD SAY THAT
A LOT OF MONEY.
>> IT IS A LOT OF BUT WHEN
YOU’RE THAT PERSON THAT’S OUT
THERE IN THE WATER AND YOU’RE
BY YOURSELF AND THERE’S NO ONE
THAT CAN GET YOU. WE’RE GOING
GET TO YOU. IT’S WORTH IT.
>> THE NEW CHOPPERS HAVE TOP
OF THE LINE. TECHNOLOGY
AUTOPILOT IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY OR BAD WEATHER,
INFRARED CAMERAS THAT CAN
DETECT HEAT, EVEN FOOTPRINTS,
WHETHER IT’S DARK OR LIGHT JSO
ASKING US TO KEEP SOME OF THE
CAPABILITIES CONFIDENTIAL SO
CRIMINALS DON’T KNOW EVERY
TOOL THEY HAVE IN THEIR TOOL
BOX. THE CAMERAS A LOT BETTER.
WE CAN SEE THREATS BEFORE
THEY’LL SEE IT. IF THERE’S A
SUSPECT FOR SOME COME IN OUR
CORNER WILL BE ABLE TO SPOT
THAT FOR THEM.
>> IT IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IN
THE DARK OF NIGHT.
♪
♪
♪ ♪ ♪
♪ ♪ THIS IS A HIGH PRIORITY CALL
ONE WHERE EVERY SECOND COUNTS
THE AIR HAWK IS FIRST ON THE
SCENE BECAUSE THE HELICOPTER
WAS ALREADY ON NIGHT PATROL.
♪
THIS SUSPECT IS ARMED AND
DANGEROUS.
♪
DANGEROUS. ♪ WITHIN MINUTES, THE PILOTS AND
PATROL OFFICERS SPOTTED THE
SUSPECT AND THEY PULL HER OVER
THE EYES IN THE SKY USING A
NEW INFRARED CAMERA. PLUS THE
SPOTLIGHT AS POLICE MOVE IN
FOR THE ARREST.
♪
♪
♪ ♪ EVERY MISSION IS IMPORTANT,
BUT SOME STAND OUT MORE THAN
OTHERS LIKE THIS FALL. WHEN
INVESTIGATORS SAY AN EX-MARINE
SHOT AND KILLED IN NASSAU
COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY JOSHUA
MOYERS THEN SHOT A POLICE
CANINE. THAT’S ONE THAT STICKS
OUT. WE DID BECAUSE OF THE
EFFORTS
♪
EFFORTS ♪ THAT WE WENT THROUGH.
>> TO MAKE THIS MISSION
HAPPENED TO HELP HIM.
>> JSO ASSISTED ITS NEIGHBORS
IN NASSAU COUNTY WITH AROUND
THE CLOCK AIR SUPPORT FOR THE
MANHUNT. SURVEILLANCE FROM
ABOVE, EVEN FLYING WITH
SNIPERS. 5 DAYS LATER,
OFFICERS CAPTURED THE SUSPECT,
PATRICK MCDOWELL. NO MATTER
THE MISSION, THESE PILOTS SAY
THEY’LL DO WHATEVER THEY CAN,
HOWEVER THEY CAN WATCHING OVER
JACKSONVILLE FROM ABOVE VIC
MICOLUCCI CHANNEL 4, THE LOCAL
STATION.
♪
STATION. ♪ >> NOW WE CHECK THE FLIGHT
LOGS. JSO IS PILOTS HAVE FLOWN
MORE THAN NEARLY 1800 HOURS
SINCE LAST APRIL. AND DURING
THAT TIME, THE AVIATION UNIT
WAS INVOLVED IN 192 ARREST AND
FINDING 244 PEOPLE MISSING.
THEY ALSO RESPONDED TO
EVERYTHING FROM BOTH CRASHES
TO KIDNAPPINGS. 2 ESCAPED IF
YOUR NEWS, 4 JAX INSIDER, YOU
SAW THIS STORY FIRST, WE SEND
IT TO YOU YESTERDAY. RIGHT TO
YOUR EMAIL INBOX. IF YOU WANT
TO FIRST LOOK AT EXCLUSIVE
STORIES BEFORE ANYONE ELSE.