“Unmarked Chopper Patrols New York City From Above”
Associated Press (05/23/08) ; Hays, Tom
The New York Police Department is acquiring more advanced technology for its counterterrorism operations. One of its newest additions is an unmarked helicopter equipped with high-tech surveillance and tracking tools powerful enough to zoom in on a license plate number or a pedestrian’s face. A high-powered robotic camera gives the helicopter its observation capability. The camera features infrared night-vision capabilities and a satellite navigation system that lets police automatically zero in on an area by typing in the address on a computer keyboard. The surveillance system can send live footage to police command centers down below or to wireless gadgets that officers are carrying. While hovering over Manhattan, the helicopter was able to take a detailed picture of aircraft waiting to depart from LaGuardia Airport and to assess jet fuel lines at Kennedy International Airport, both in Queens. Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said that there are not any other law enforcement agencies in the country with “anything that comes close” to the $10 million surveillance helicopter. The department is also investing millions of dollar elsewhere, as it plans on tightening security in the business district in downtown Manhattan by installing closed-circuit television cameras and license-plate readers on bridges, tunnels, and other entrances to the city. It is also using radiation monitors to detect dirty bombs, either asking officers to wear them on their belts, or placing them in cars and helicopters.
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