CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In Charlotte, police helicopters are not solely reserved for emergencies, they're part of everyday patrols.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department is using the helicopters to help them track down criminals and make arrests.
“We’re an extension of the boots on the ground,” Sgt. Craig Varnum, supervisor of CMPD’s Aviation Unit, said.
The chopper helps officers on patrol do their job more efficiently and safely while helping reduce crime.
“Anything you call 911 for, we can get involved with,” Varnum said.
CMPD's Aviation Unit started back in 1971 and has taken off since. Officials said Snoopy, the department's helicopter, helps solve crime faster.
According to CMPD, in 2022, 355 arrests would not have been possible without the aviation unit. That's up 20% from 2021.
With the thermal cameras, moving map systems, and searchlights, Varnum said one of the main reasons they've seen an increase in arrests is due to technology.
“The camera system we have is head and shoulders above what it was 15 years ago, the quality the clarity, always us to see more, get a better description," Varnum said.
Officers can zoom in from nearly 1,600 feet above, with a goal of making safer arrests for everyone involved.
"Whether it is a vehicle pursuit that we can get involved, to make that much safer, officers on the ground can back off of that," Varnum said. "Oftentimes we can follow a vehicle, clandestinely, meaning the suspect doesn’t know we are following them to a destination and bring about an arrest in a safer fashion."
In 2022, the Aviation Unit also helped locate 97 vehicles, up 62% from 2021 and 38 missing people, which is up 21% from 2021.
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.