Tonight, Harrisburg City Council heard from city police about recent helicopter patrols.
A helicopter hovering over the city last week helped law enforcement officers capture weapons, seize drugs and deter shootings, Harrisburg police officials said tonight.
Police also said that residents should expect additional flyovers in the future.
A helicopter patrolling Harrisburg late Wednesday and Thursday last week drew questions and complaints from many residents. In a tweet, Capt. Gabriel Olivera called it a “proactive policing” technique but offered no other details.
Tonight, police appeared at a City Council meeting to defend so-called “Operation Helicopter” as a means of supporting street crimes officers on the ground.
Police Chief Thomas Carter said that the bureau deployed the helicopter after a spate of shootings in the city, many involving juveniles or shots fired into homes. He said that helicopters can help deter crime and assist ground officers tracking down suspects.
Carter told council that the outcome of the helicopter patrol was “very good.” No shots were fired on streets or into residences on either night of the patrol, and the police were able to seize cash, heroin and firearms from criminals, he said.
He conceded that residents complained about the noise and light the helicopter generated, but said that the outcomes of the operation make it worth repeating.
“Citizens deserve to be policed in the best way possible,” Carter said. “We will see more flyovers.”
Only Harrisburg police, the state police and the mayor knew about last week’s operation in advance, since, according to Carter, announcing patrols makes them less effective.
“We didn’t want to show our hand,” he said.
Mayor Eric Papenfuse explained that the patrols were part of an ongoing partnership with the Pennsylvania State Police, which started a three-month collaboration with Harrisburg’s street crimes unit in September. Papenfuse said that residents can expect to see one or two more patrols before the partnership ends next month.
Olivera said that the helicopter bore no extra cost to Harrisburg or the state police. The fuel costs and wages for last week’s patrols were already included in the state police budget, he said. He did not say how often helicopter patrols will take place in the future.
Olivera also insisted that the aircraft was not actively surveilling activity on the ground. Instead, its pilots responded to calls from ground officers and offered them backup as they investigated incidents.
“It was constantly moving in response to calls,” Olivera said.
Residents were surprised and even frightened to see the helicopter roaming the night skies last week.
At tonight’s council meeting, Uptown resident Kim Jones called the patrols “a nightmare.” She said that the spotlights illuminated the inside of her house until midnight, keeping her infant daughter awake.
Even so, she said she’ll tolerate the patrols if they help to keep the city safe – and if the helicopter moves across different neighborhoods.
“They need a better plan,” Jones said about the helicopter’s flight path. “Don’t have it camped out in one spot. Spread it out.”
On the Nextdoor social media site, which creates neighborhood-specific chat rooms, one Uptown resident said the aircraft made her feel “uneasy,” and others complained about the noise and light.
Papenfuse said that the city has heard from many citizens who want greater police presence in their neighborhoods. He claimed that he got 20 such complaints last week alone, but received no negative correspondence about the helicopter patrols.
“I recognize that this might seem bold or dramatic, but I hope people understand it’s to make the streets safer,” Papenfuse said.
