Unmarked Helo Employs Latest Surveillance Technology
It looks like any other
one of the countless helicopters that take to the air over New York
City on any given day... but it's what's inside that sets the
chopper apart from the rest.
The Associated Press reports the New York Police Department
recently started to use an advanced surveillance helicopter,
designed by Bell and contractors for counterterrorism operations as
outlined by NYPD specifications.
The unmarked chopper -- simply named "23" in honor of the number
of NYPD officers killed in the attacks on September 11, 2001
-- is outfitted with a package of sophisticated surveillance
and tracking equipment powerful enough to read license plates, or
scan pedestrians' faces, from distances up to a mile and a half
away.
The $10 million helicopter employs a high-powered robotic camera
mounted on a turret mounted on the nose of the aircraft. The camera
has infrared night-vision capabilities and a satellite navigation
system that allows crews to focus on a location automatically by
typing in the address on a computer keyboard.
The systems aboard the helicopter have the ability to transmit
the footage from the camera to ground command centers or even
wireless hand-held devices, giving police a tactical
"see-but-avoid-being-seen" advantage.
"No other US law enforcement agency has anything that comes
close," said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.
The chopper, used to sweep landmarks and other potential
terrorist targets, is a part of a multi-million dollar
department-wide effort to employ cutting edge technology to combat
terrorism. Other initiatives include the deployment of
hundreds of "dirty bomb" detecting radiation monitors, license
plate readers at bridges and tunnels, and a network of closed
circuit television cameras throughout the lower Manhattan business
district.
Some civil rights advocates in New York City are worried about
the departments push to become an "ad hoc spy agency" in their
eyes.
"From a privacy perspective, there's always a concern that 'New
York's Finest' are spending millions of dollars to engage in
peeping tom activities," said Donna Lieberman, executive director
of the New York Civil Liberties Union to the Associated Press.
Police reassert city residents have nothing to fear. "Obviously,
we're not looking into apartments," said crew chief John Diaz
during a recent flight. "We don't invade the privacy of
individuals. We only want to observe anything that's going on in
public."