(First five photos by Oliver Hamlin for WSB)

A few hours into today’s air-and-sea SWAT drill off West Seattle, we had the chance to visit the staging area on Port of Seattle property, where participating officers were boarding helicopters. The “helipad” used for the occasion was a big empty lot just south and uphill from the port-property entrance across from the Harbor Island 7-11.

Three law-enforcement helicopters were coming and going, delivering officers to participating vessels off both the north and west shores of West Seattle, including the King County Water Taxi‘s M/V Sally Fox:

Officers also were deployed from law-enforcement boats:

We asked King County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Division Chief Jeff Flohr, who’s in charge of SWAT and other teams, about the drill scenario and who was involved:

KCSO had three of its four helicopters participating – two were Guardian Twos (the Hueys with the unmistakable low and loud chopping sound – listen to our short clip)

Also participating, one of KCSO’s two Guardian Ones, the newer one; these are the helicopters most seen in crime-related responses, the only law-enforcement helicopters in the region, so they assist other agencies including Seattle Police,.

Though the original announcement had the training running as late as 7 pm, Chief Flohr said the flights will be over no later than 3:30.