UPDATE: Guardian One helicopter over Westwood/White Center (and beyond)

| Helicopter | West Seattle news

7:57 PM: Thanks for the tip. The Guardian One law-enforcement helicopter – owned by the King County Sheriff’s Office but also used to support other agencies that don’t have helicopters, like Seattle PD – is circling in the Westwood/White Center vicinity right now. Police were checking out a report of a burglary on 26th SW; more when we get it.

8:01 PM: Tracking shows Guardian One already has left that area and is now circling in Seaview/Beach Drive.

8:07 PM: It’s left there and headed northeast out of West Seattle. (We’ve seen this pattern before on occasion, where the helicopter crew loops randomly for a bit over a site here and a site there and then moves on, on a night with good flying weather …)

8:32 PM: And in fact, that’s what G-1 appears to have been up to, with loops around downtown and Mercer Island since leaving here – the screengrab is from Flightradar 24:

Kristina October 29, 2025 (8:04 pm)

I came here to figure out what it was doing, and of course there was already an update! It feels like it’s circling my house and it’s very eerie. If you figure out who or what they were looking for, I would love to see an update.

Mike October 29, 2025 (8:07 pm)

They were just over Seaview but just left the area.
WSB October 29, 2025 (8:07 pm)

Usually when they’re supporting SPD, they’re on SPD air. Tonight I think they might just randomly be checking out calls, as they’ve moved on from Seaview too.
Susan October 29, 2025 (8:08 pm)

Circling the neighborhood for about 10 minutes. Beach, Alki

Lola October 29, 2025 (8:06 pm)

No the Helicopter has been going over 50th & Alaska then over by Moo Ka Meeks & back for about 15 mins. Started about 7:45 pm. Not sure what they are looking for?

Bob October 29, 2025 (8:07 pm)

Just left Genessee hill area.

1994 October 29, 2025 (9:54 pm)

A helicopter was circling above Westwood & Arbor Heights earlier in the afternoon, sometime between 2:00 or 3:00. I heard about 5-10 minutes of looping.

WSB October 29, 2025 (9:58 pm)

Yes. That one was not on trackers at all. About half an hour later, though, an Army Chinook that WAS on FlightRadar 24 (“BLUES50”) flew up from JBLM and passed over north West Seattle heading east …

pelicans October 29, 2025 (11:28 pm)

I’m looking at retirement/relocating in the next few years. (Seattle has become unaffordable.) I’ve never been on social media out of principle, but am nonetheless an information junkie. Maybe many other readers face this dilemma. How can we move somewhere else that doesn’t have a hyper-local, accredited journalist-run news site like the West Seattle Blog? The very concept of not knowing what is going on in my neighborhood, having to rely on mainstream media outlets, or worse, on the rumor mill, (social media) is awful. Thank goodness we have WSB.

WSB October 30, 2025 (1:29 am)

Though the ranks have dwindled here around Puget Sound, there are still hundreds of credible independent news sites around the country, so maybe you’ll find one wherever you land! (Although the 24/7 hardcore approach is still kind of rare …)
- pelicans October 30, 2025 (5:54 am)
  
  “24/7 hardcore” is exactly what we have all come to depend on. (And are spoiled by, I guess) I am optimistic that your model is one that’s setting a precedent for the rest of our country. 🤞
pelicans October 30, 2025 (6:39 am)

Tracy, is there any way I can repost this on another thread? I think other WS people will be thinking along these same lines.

BDR October 30, 2025 (12:10 pm)

Don’t think there are other neighborhood blogs that can match the excellent coverage we receive on a daily basis 24/7. Uniquely awesome. Thank you WSB💗💗💗

Jay October 30, 2025 (1:00 pm)

I wonder why they aren’t doing drone flights in place of the helicopter these days. A drone with thermal and night vision cameras, IP67 water resistant (you can fly in the rain or drop it in a lake and recover it later and it’ll be fine), 45+mph speed, stronger wind resistance than a helicopter, and 50 minute flight time is only $8k. I know it’s off-topic, but I just saw that Redmond is now using drones for these types of pursuits and I think that’s a great idea. They’re so cheap they could be placed in every squad car and there’s be no need for car chases ever.

WSB October 30, 2025 (1:41 pm)

KCSO has drones. SPD so far apparently does not – anybody remember this from 2013? – but has in some cases availed itself of drone help if G-1 is not available, according to radio exchanges. Don’t know about other departments.
- Jay October 30, 2025 (2:25 pm)
  
  Definitely remember that, and I was a staunch opponent to police drone systems at the time. I feel like privacy advocates have already lost though. Police have Stingrays and other devices to do real-time hacking into civilian devices, they’re running AI models on social media feeds to identify faces, and they have access to cameras on what seems like most people’s properties. Now seeing the inflated costs of policing, the astronomical cost of buying Guardian One and maintaining that plus two Hueys and the 407, and the cost per hour to put them in the air, plus the reckless behavior of SPD officers during vehicle pursuits and callouts (several years ago I had to dive out of the way of an SPD cruiser doing about 80-100 with its lights off in a crosswalk at the intersection of California and College, I was a fraction of a second away from ending up like Jaahnavi Kandula), I’ve totally changed my opinion on drone systems. Watching the footage of Redmond PD tracking a suspect without the suspect being aware he was being tracked and without putting the public in danger was an eye-opening level of professionalism.
Rhonda October 30, 2025 (4:53 pm)

Drones are just flying cameras. They can’t arrest suspects, they can’t perform a PIT manuever to stop a speeding vehicle, they can’t follow a suspect into a building, and they can’t stop a rape or other violent attack.
- 1994 October 30, 2025 (9:44 pm)
  
  The drone may not be able to stop these behaviors in real time but as you note they have cameras. Cameras could possibly lead to a suspect being apprehended, suspect being charged with those awful behaviors you describe, and if convicted be prevented from creating future harm to others with getting jail or prison time. Prevention of future crimes has benefits for the rest of us. Bring on the cameras whether on a drone or on the street.

Rhonda October 30, 2025 (1:21 pm)

I was working the drone show at Downtown Bellevue Park at the time and we were wondering why G1 was fluttering around Bellevue Square, Medina, Mercer Island, etc.

Sorry, comment time is over.