Paragliding Police?

[Prov1x]

How would you like to use a paraglider as an officer?

This article is in Chicago but I think they are doing it in Florida also. Maybe some of you have heard of this but I haven't.

VIDEO = http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...42220092436782

(MYFOX NATIONAL) - A police department in central Florida is equipping some of its officers with paragliders, and they're taking to the skies to catch up with wrongdoers and to look for missing people.

Paragliding instructor Philip Russman is teaching some of Palm Bay's police officers how to move to the thrust of the 50-plus-pound motor they'll harness on their backs.

"I'm here to teach the police officers how to fly these safely and handle other tasks in the sky like radio communications and GPS while they're flying and looking for the bad guys," Russman said.

The department looked into unmanned vehicles called drones two years ago for a better means of search and rescue and fighting crime, but Lt. Mark Renkens said that option didn't work.

"There's a possibility that particular aircraft could fly off [course] causing problems for other aircraft," he explained.

So Renkens and another officer started flying paragliders a year ago hoping it will help them save lives.

These machines can fly two inches off the ground and they can also soar 18,000 feet into the air. But these officers won't go above 500 feet.

It's experimental for now and the first in the country. These officers hope to set a new standard of crime prevention.

"We believe we can never stop looking for new ideas, innovative ways to fight crime or look for people or serve citizens a better way," Renkens concluded.

[DACP]

I think this was on an episode of CHiP's once.

[Taylor1430]

I can see the thugs in jail now talking about how they got popped....We was just sittin there and those damn cops was fallin out of the sky

[School Cop]

I see the greatest benefit will probably be control of the cow problem. The cop can swoop down, quickly touch the taillight, and herd the cows away from the vehicle in one practiced motion.

Although we might have trouble keeping our hats on.

[99TAC]

Unless all the drug dealers are Helen Keller, I think they'll hear the Lawn Boy strapped to the officer's back and see the enormous sanitary napkin-looking parachute . "Sheeeeet dawg, is that a motorized maxi pad in the sky or the po-leece?"

[AZLawDawg]

What's the loiter time on one of those things? I'm not 100 percent sure this is the best idea.

[Prov1x]

I can imagine a PO landing and trying to run after someone with that on his back :-). But maybe he would have a better chance if the suspect took off in some sort of vehicle lol.

Amazing.

- V

[Flanker]

In my county the SO is switching their bike unit to a unicycle unit in order to save money on refilling tires.

[FJDave]

Downey PD tried one of those once, but the kind with the motor attached to the kite. They got shot at a few times, and decided it wasn't worth it for officer safety reasons and ditched the program.

Originally Posted by FJDave

Downey PD tried one of those once, but the kind with the motor attached to the kite. They got shot at a few times, and decided it wasn't worth it for officer safety reasons and ditched the program.

Very good point. Didn't consider that.

Not a whole lot of options other than being a slow moving target.

- V

[eyildiz]

I like the idea that its a cheap way to do air patrol, however being shot at would not be fun as the thing is made of cloth (the parachute part)

[Fëanor]

Well I guess if your department can't afford a helicopter this is your next best option

[ChiCity]

Looks dumb. It actually looks like a waste of money to me.

Also, this article has nothing to do with Chicago.

[Sharp]

Originally Posted by FJDave

Downey PD tried one of those once, but the kind with the motor attached to the kite. They got shot at a few times, and decided it wasn't worth it for officer safety reasons and ditched the program.

Exactly. Youre nothing but an easy-to-spot, slow moving target that would have a hard time shooting back.

Im not sure how loud those things are, but Im picturing a lawn mower engine...and you cant hear when youre right next to one of those. So...how are you going to call anything in?

[Spoken]

Originally Posted by Sharp

Exactly. Youre nothing but an easy-to-spot, slow moving target that would have a hard time shooting back.

Im not sure how loud those things are, but Im picturing a lawn mower engine...and you cant hear when youre right next to one of those. So...how are you going to call anything in?

Type it up on the MDT

[Sharp]

Originally Posted by Spoken

Type it up on the MDT

LMAO just dont drop it!

Imagine explaining THAT one... and all the ribbing youd get!

[Phil H.]

How incredibly stupid. And i though segways were dumb, wow!
how about hot air balloons? you could float over a crime in progress, have the copper on a bungee cord and then leap out, snatch the badguy, and spring right back up to the basket.

Instead of a big lame sail, how about cops on rollerblades with lawnmower engine propellers on their backs? have a little throttle control on your wrist and zoom down the streets like friggin Ironman.

[Phil H.]

Originally Posted by DACP

I think this was on an episode of CHiP's once.

Satan's Angels

Original Airdate: 14-Dec-1980
Plot: Ponch and Jon enjoy some ultra-light flying (and foreshadowing) while Bonnie saves two girls from a biker gang. As Ponch and Jon land, Grossie tells them Bonnie's been kidnapped! Sarge tells everyone they're on the clock 24 hours a day until Bonnie's found. Meanwhile, some of the bikers bring Bonnie back to their hideout. Ponch and Jon visit a biker bar to find out information, but get nothing. When they leave, the find two bikers and chase them. After Getraer's wife goes into false labor again, Baricza's plane returns with pictures of the hideout the bikers were riding away from. It's situated well in a valley. When nobody can come up with a rescue plan, Ponch and Jon plan to go in on their "micro-lite" planes. When they land, they knock on the cabin door and capture some bikers. They then chase the ones that run away. After catching everyone, we see Bonnie, Ponch, and Jon waiting outside the hospital. Mrs. Getraer had another false labor. Just as the show ends, she goes into labor again.

Briefing: Look for Bonnie [Given at the scene of the crime] and How do we get Bonnie out?


Guest Stars: William Smith (as Stan), John Quade (as Reno), Charles Dierkop (as Mouse), Gwynne Gilford (as Betty Getraer), Mickey Jones (as Big Daddy), Candy Azzara (as Cheri), Gary Lee Davis (as Biker), Bill Cross (as Biker), Hans Howes (as Biker), Demetre Phillips (as Guy in Poolhall), Bob Schott (as Guy in Poolhall), Jay May (as Guy in Poolhall), Bruce Tuthill (as Helicopter Pilot), Katheryn Greer (as Teenager), Heather Locklear (as Teenager), Arva Holt (as Biker's Wife)
Written by: William Douglas Lansford
Directed by: Phil Bondelli

[ateamer]

Not a well-thought-out plan. Law enforcement aircraft generally have two-man aircrews. One flies the plane, monitors other aircraft and scans for other hazards while the other crew member observes activity on the ground, uses the police radio and coordinates the ground units' response. Having only one person on board is going to stretch their abilities to the limit. On top of that, they are taking people who aren't even pilots, giving them what is sure to be minimal instruction and letting them go. They are barely going to be safe pilots of those devices, and hardly qualified to be flying tactical law enforcement missions. Not a good day for airborne law enforcement.

[99 Fenix]

i guess they will go from medflight to paraflight next? saves gas anyways LOL

[slamdunk]

Originally Posted by Flanker

In my county the SO is switching their bike unit to a unicycle unit in order to save money on refilling tires.

Ok that is too funny--I better clean off the water-through-the-nose trick that is now covering my screen.

[Code Seven]

[lg515]

Well sure, it's bound to be a flying bullseye in criminal apprehension, but it might yield some results in search-and-rescue--more the 'search' than the 'rescue' =P

[dh91040]

ABC News ran a piece on this the other day about paragliding police in Palm Bay, Florida. (Link here.)

The paragliding officers really seemed to enjoy it. Unfortunately, the ABC website only has the text of the story, not the vid itself.