MPD's newest police helicopter helps monitor inauguration crowds
Metropolitan Police Department (DC Police / MPD)
MPD's newest police helicopter helps monitor inauguration crowds
Falcon 1 is the Metropolitan Police Department's newest chopper, and helps in monitoring crowds and tracking suspects.
By Mark Segraves, News4 Reporter Published January 14, 2025 Updated on January 14, 2025 at 10:25 pm
{snip video of the report}
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, airspace above the D.C. area has remained heavily restricted. Only a handful of people, primarily law enforcement, can see the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials or the icy Potomac River or the Kennedy Center from so high up.
It is pretty cool to be able to fly in such restricted airspace, said Jeff Hertel, the departments most senior pilot. It is a neat situation to be in and we even get into the prohibited airspace when we have calls within those, so you get within the most restricted, restricted airspace. It is something special.
Hertel is a Falcon 1 pilot, MPDs newest chopper equipped with the latest technology that helps the crew with duties like monitoring inauguration crowds, tracking fleeing suspects or following car chases.
Hertel said they have a WESCAM on the new MX-10 aircraft that uses an augmented reality system to put a grid on the map as you're traveling.
{snip}