New helicopter lifts options for law enforcement

Karen Zekan

Friday, May 29, 1998 | 10:59 a.m.

Keeping step with Clark County's rapid expansion, Metro Police is gaining an upper hand in logistical efficiency now that its special teams can travel farther -- and faster -- with the recently acquired Bell HH-1H helicopter.

And taxpayers are gaining, too: Sheriff Jerry Keller said the ship, which otherwise would have cost the department at least $3 million to come by new, was obtained through a federal assistance program free of charge.

One of only 30 built for the U.S. Air Force as a rescue helicopter, the chopper was pulled out the military's mothballed fleet, refurbished and provided by the Department of Defense as a means to support local law enforcement.

With a 300-mile range, seating for nine (including three crew members -- pilot, copilot and crew chief) and a top speed of 117 knots, the HH-1H is ideally suited to transport Metro's special operation teams including SWAT, tactical doctors, drug interdictions, search and rescue teams, and other specialized units.

More importantly, it's much larger than the department's MD500 series light observation helicopters which fly daily supporting officers on the ground by tracking suspects and cars, providing a light source at night, and providing aerial photographic opportunities for documenting crime scene.

Where the MD500 is more often used as an observation tool, the faster HH-1H is primarily a transportation tool. Although not medically equipped, its larger cabin offers the ability to transport three litter patients bunk-bed style in the event of an emergency, said Search and Rescue Volunteer Jon Sabol.

Further, the additional room means teams like SWAT and search and rescue, which often travel with large amounts of equipment, can get to an incident faster than by the standard car trip. Metro bills its new copter as having the capability of getting anywhere in the county within an hour.

Equipped with a rescue hoist that can raise or lower victims and personnel, the HH-1H also means SWAT can "fast rope" -- a scenario that could see the team deploying, say, to the roof top of a large hotel or other building in the event a crisis arises on one of the floors, said SWAT Sgt. Jim Dixon. The helicopter could hover above the building, Dixon said, allowing the team to climb down in mid-air by rope extended from a boom-like device to the roof or elsewhere.

K-9 Officer Eric Kerns and his dog, Matjo, rode in the helicopter as part of a demonstration Thursday of the department's newest transportation resource.

"I had him hooked to the floor so he wouldn't fall out," Kerns said. "He's fine up there -- it's like a big car ride to him."

Lt. Dwight Mahan of Metro's air support and search and rescue section said six of his officers are certified in operating the HH-1H, and three have been trained and certified as instructors. Bell Helicopters provided a pilot to lead Metro through a week-long factory ground school and flight training.