Fresno Police Department’s Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) system is a
helicopter-mounted thermal imaging
device that detects heat sources from
significant distances, allowing our officers
the opportunity to locate criminals and
victims who would otherwise be
hidden in the cover of darkness.
Unfortunately, despite having two fully
functioning jet turbine helicopters,
Skywatch has only one FLIR system,
forcing officers to transfer the system back and forth, from helicopter to helicopter – wasting time, money, and valuable resources and limiting Skywatch to half its potential during the evening hours.
The FLIR system has proven to be crucial to the safety of our officers, as it decreases officer exposure to ambush when they are forced to go through dangerous areas on foot in search of suspects (i.e., under cars, in tall grass, in trees, in other debris). Without this technology, officers have to search these areas in harm’s way.
The cost of purchasing a second FLIR system is approximately $274,000. Although expensive, purchasing a second FLIR system would allow both Skywatch helicopters to assist in the search for suspects and injured victims – benefiting the citizens of Fresno as well as providing a valuable resource to other nearby law enforcement agencies.
The FLIR system has proven to be crucial to the safety of our officers, as it decreases officer exposure to ambush when they are forced to go through dangerous areas on foot in search of suspects (i.e., under cars, in tall grass, in trees, in other debris). Without this technology, officers have to search these areas in harm’s way.
The cost of purchasing a second FLIR system is approximately $274,000. Although expensive, purchasing a second FLIR system would allow both Skywatch helicopters to assist in the search for suspects and injured victims – benefiting the citizens of Fresno as well as providing a valuable resource to other nearby law enforcement agencies.