Update: Helicopter over High Point, police search on ground

| Helicopter | High Point | West Seattle news | West Seattle police

10:44 PM: Thanks for the tips – the Guardian One helicopter is in West Seattle now, in the High Point area, over Graham/Lanham. Not sure yet what it’s about – they seem to be focused on a vehicle – we’ll add what we find out.

10:55 PM: Officers are searching on the ground, too – one tells us this involves “stolen property.”

(Police at the Calugas Apartments in High Point)
11:01 PM: Guardian One appears to have moved on. We’ve heard on the scanner multiple times that this involves law enforcement from Mercer Island as well as SPD. Not sure how much more we’ll find out tonight.

11:06 PM: Guardian One’s Twitter account confirms:

Assisted Mercer island pd on search for burglary suspect in west Seattle. Seattle PD also assisting. @SeattlePD

— KCSOAirsupport (@KCSOAirsupport) February 15, 2015

11:32 PM: Photos added.

Joyce February 14, 2015 (10:54 pm)

Serious helicopter action right now! Yikes

Tamsen Spengler February 14, 2015 (10:55 pm)

Helicopter stopped now. I live on Graham

WSB February 14, 2015 (11:00 pm)

Yeah, that’s what our crew is observing too.

Helen February 14, 2015 (11:01 pm)

That helicopter is over my neighborhood. I’m near south Seattle college.

Joyce February 14, 2015 (11:03 pm)

They were around for quite a while. I hope they get to the bottom of it- it’s quite alarming.

Eric1 February 14, 2015 (11:23 pm)

After reading the commentary, I started to laugh as I recalled some conversations with one of my friends that had a checkered childhood. I used to ask him about his past and what he used to do. For theft, he used to go to the nice neighborhoods because that was where the good stuff was.
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He did straighten out when the judge gave him a choice to either go to jail or join the military. He learned a skill and figured out that if you put in 40 hours a week, you get a regular paycheck and stay out of jail. I don’t think judges do that anymore.

Tamsen Spengler February 14, 2015 (11:35 pm)

So if Mercer Island is involved we can use helicopter for property crimes?

WSB February 14, 2015 (11:44 pm)

The helicopter is used for property crimes all the time. Car prowls, burglaries, car thieves on the run, etc. Our archive’s full of ’em. But when and how it’s used is often dependent on whether it’s available and where it happens to be. Sometimes it just happens to be nearby and the crew hears a call in the area and asks if they can/should help. Sometimes police ask dispatch if G-1 is available and it’s not. Seattle doesn’t have its own helicopter so this is the only one it can use, when available.

dsa February 15, 2015 (1:16 am)

I’ve seen the King Co. helicopter on the TV show “Cops” operate at night. It’s an amazing craft with it’s heat sensing capability.

Kayo February 15, 2015 (7:35 am)

I was just going to bed when I heard the helicopter last night. Then saw police cars on my street (north Delridge, not high point). Checked locks on all our doors just in case and then went to sleep. Figured it would be on here in the morning and sure enough. Thanks WS Blog.

WSB February 15, 2015 (7:51 am)

Kayo, depending on where you are on Delridge, there was also an incident that overlapped with this one a bit, involving a disruptive man reported to be wielding a baseball bat near Delridge/Thistle. Not sure how it ended but that drew a few police over that way (not the helicopter, though, the man’s whereabouts didn’t seem to be in doubt).

Nick February 15, 2015 (8:49 am)

What happened?

WSB February 15, 2015 (9:38 am)

Everything we know is in the story above. Probably wouldn’t have hit our radar at all if not for the helicopter. Because of the holiday, we probably won’t be able to access a report to find out more until Tuesday.

HP Neighbor February 15, 2015 (6:45 pm)

It’s difficult to believe that a helicopter was used to look for a burglar. The amount of force displayed was worthy of a fleeing felony suspect in a violent crime. It’s ironic that the police disregard property vandalism reports, car break-ins, and drug deals in High Point – but if a Mercer Island resident gets robbed, it’s military force response to solve the crime.

WSB February 15, 2015 (7:43 pm)

You can certainly criticize helicopter use if you want but again, even trying to infer that the “Mercer Island” aspect had ANYTHING to do with it is off-base. Once in a while, another jurisdiction DOES turn up here. But when the helicopter does or does not get used has more to do with where it is at the time – if it’s even available – than somebody sitting around making decisions, “Hmm, we’ll call Guardian One for this.” Listen to the scanner for a while and you’ll hear that for yourself. Perhaps criteria and availability should be reviewed. I don’t know exactly how this one started and won’t be able to find out likely before Tuesday because of the government holiday tomorrow. Anyway, some examples, including in fact a drug case from High Point:
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Burglary in Highland Park: https://westseattleblog.com/2014/11/west-seattle-crime-watch-burglary-search-in-highland-park-with-helicopter
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Missing person in High Point: https://westseattleblog.com/2014/04/guardian-one-over-west-seattle
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Drug warrant in High Point: https://westseattleblog.com/2014/03/helicopter-north-of-high-point/
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Robbery in South Delridge: https://westseattleblog.com/2015/02/guardian-ones-third-visit-of-the-night (story also notes chopper searched for hit-run and robbery suspects elsewhere in the WS/WC area the same night)
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Briefly over what turned out to be a vigil in South Delridge, reported by someone as a “disturbance” https://westseattleblog.com/2015/01/about-the-helicopter-over-south-delridge
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Robbery/assault in South Delridge https://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/police-search-following-robbery-near-16throxbury/
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Burglary in White Center https://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/hearing-a-helicopter-were-checking
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Car stolen from SeaTac, turned up by the Duwamish https://westseattleblog.com/2014/10/why-helicopters-are-near-east-west-seattle/
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August case of man stealing car from Highland Park minimart with baby in back seat https://westseattleblog.com/2014/08/seattle-police-searching-for-stolen-car-with-child-inside
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Robbery in South Delridge https://westseattleblog.com/2014/08/west-seattle-crime-watch-police-search-for-armed-robber
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Come to the WSCPC meeting on Tuesday if you have a specific incident (or not) to bring up. You don’t have to ask publicly – whomever’s there from SPD also stays around talking with people who come up afterward. Don’t know yet whether it will be the operations lt. or precinct commander on Tuesday but will try to find out in advance. – TR

sophista-tiki February 15, 2015 (7:53 pm)

Enough with the helicopter already. Once again I ask is it REALLY helping to solve crimes? NOISE POLLUTION we are being forced to endure.

WSB February 15, 2015 (7:58 pm)

Possibly of interest https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQaqi80QVyIhFQ6HZTXCeOg

sophista-tiki February 15, 2015 (8:05 pm)

http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/policy_guidance/envir_policy/media/04nov-30-rtc.pdf

http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_focus/health/helicopter-hella-loud-part-2-can-the-faa-regulate-the-lapd-34832.html

GOOGLE IT!~ There are at least a dozen report/ studies on the affects of noise pollution from police helicopters over residential urban areas.

WSB February 15, 2015 (8:17 pm)

Pretty sure Guardian One flies from Boeing Field. Its noise complaint info is at the right of this page, a phone # and online form.
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http://www.kingcounty.gov/transportation/kcdot/Airport/NoiseManagement.aspx

miws February 15, 2015 (9:47 pm)

Thanks for the Youtube link, WSB. That led me to the KCSOAS FB Page, which I didn’t know existed.

Mike

Delridge Res. February 15, 2015 (11:15 pm)

It is fantastic that we have the ability to have a chopper around when needed. I would like to see you talk about noise pollution for when your house/car property for instance gets robbed and flees on foot and foot officers are not able to get a birds eye view. Go on guardian ones YouTube page where they assist Everett
, West Seattle, Bellevue, Tukwilla/Sea-Tac an possibly more. Than you’ll understand HOW thankful you should be for living in an area where we have AMPLE tools for safety. “Noise pollution” should be the least of your worries.*Especially when your safety is on The line* Protection is for the people nobody else.

Alphonse February 15, 2015 (11:42 pm)

So what is the preferred method to chase criminals for people who constantly complain about criminal activity in their neighborhood?

Eric February 16, 2015 (5:13 am)

Noise pollution? I suppose next people will want sirens to be banned. I couldn’t care less about the sound of a chopper while they’re trying to catch bad guys. For me, it’s the sound of them trying to do their jobs

John February 16, 2015 (7:43 am)

The report sophista-tiki links disputes her claims,
“The report stated that helicopter noise boils down quite simply to an annoyance. At the noise levels indicated, a sound would not pose a serious health risk unless it was continuous.”
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Also these reports are for areas with high levels of air traffic like Los Angeles, not Seattle where helicopter use is noteworthy rare.
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And helicopters do indeed really help in law enforcement…the noise and spot-light both effectively deter and help apprehend criminals.

Robert February 16, 2015 (7:02 pm)

I suppose you would rather have a swat team jumping over your fence with shotguns at the ready rather than listen to a helicopter with f.l.i.r.? the sound of buckshot sizzling over your head may be quieter, but I for one like rotor pop..

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