Can’t seem to find this on Google.
Do police helicopters typically come equipped with lights and sirens? I’m especially curious about RCMP choppers.
I live in a fairly rough area and I’ve seen many a cop-copter but aside from spot and running lights, I’ve never seen one put on flashers. It seems that they should have them at least, perhaps for highway chases and general physchological effect.
Anyone?
What, so that the civilian helicopters in front of them will pull over to the side of the sky and let them pass?
They have very powerful searchlights, but why would they need flashing lights and sirens? They aren’t really used to pull cars over, more to search and direct ground forces. And, well, to anything on the ground surely the noise of the rotors is far louder than a siren would be?
How is a driver going to see lights on a helicopter above his roofline unless it buzzes directly in front of him? And do you really want a driver to take his eyes off the road looking for a copter’s flashing lights? At least when you’re followed by a police car it’s directly behind you, and you can see its flashers in your rear view mirror.
Oooh, should they add a cage between the pilot area and the back area, and not allow the passanger doors to not be opened from the inside?
Purpose of police helicopters is not equivalent to police patrol cars.
I have a partially adopted semi-step half-niece who’s an EMT. Her and her parner are both tall skinny things and are the helicopter pilots favorite crew. The two EMTs together weigh less than a typical patient such that the life-flight can save more lives and the lives of bigger people.
Now that’s just the story I hear, but it illustrates just how critical weight is on these public service helicopters. Flashie washie lights and a screaming siren are not needed, better to ditch them and install the IR camera and carry more ammo.
Mostly, they only need the spotlight, to track people, and a radio to coordinate with the police cars on the ground. But I did hear the public address speaker on one in Sacramento, once. That sucker was loud.
They certainly have sirens (see, for example, this YouTube video—I think the siren comes in at around 5:15). I’ve definitely heard LAPD helicopters using their sirens before.