Helicopter noise in the early hours

krappyrubsnif · August 2011

I estimate the police wasted three hours and spent £5,000-£10,000 using a helicopter, perhaps five or six patrol cars and *dogs* to pursue and arrest seven 16 year old boys and girls who had climbed into Park Road lido and gone for a swim the other night. (Another 10 or 12 got away.)

No criminal damage was caused. Seven teenagers spent a night in the cells. All the teenagers had their fingerprints and DNA taken (which will be retained). Their names will presumably now be on the police national computer. No offence was committed and there were no charges - seven thoroughly upset teenagers released without charge next morning. All for a lark.

Does this strike anyone else as overkill? Something that a couple of policemen with a torch could have dealt with in five minutes?

I am considering putting in a Freedom of Information request to Haringey Council and the Haringey/Met Police asking how much this operation cost, and how many 999 calls to other incidents (perhaps involving violent crime or sexual assault) went unresponded to in the Haringey police district the same night because 20 or or so of their officers were chasing boys and girls through the grounds of Highgate Wood School in the dark.

kp82 · August 2011

You wouldn't get that information from a FOI request.

How about the riots in Tottenham tonight. is it ok for helicopters to be up? Just look at all those resources. I guess you are just seeing pound signs

Jenowl · August 2011

The helicopter woke me up at 3am this morning. Louder than ever. Seemed to go on for ages.

JaneDoe · August 2011

I too was woken at 3am. It was incredibly loud.

[Deleted User] · August 2011

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Roy · August 2011

Woke me up at 3am - and I usually sleep through the helicopter incidents reported here... roy

Ali · September 2011

Miscarra you might be pleased to hear that a burglar was recently apprehended at 2am in a back garden not very far from where you live

[Deleted User] · September 2011

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Ali · September 2011

He was chased over quite a few gardens before he trapped himself. I guess he could quite easily hide and get away but they helicopter gets around that because of the thermal imaging camera on which he would show up.

[Deleted User] · September 2011

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rainbow_carnage · September 2011

We don't really have anything of value. If we do get burgled, could the police just give me the amount that it costs to operate a helicopter for two hours, and I'll forget the whole thing? It'd save everyone a lot of hassle. Plus, it would save the State the cost of locking up the guy for several months.

djmattyoung · September 2011

Seems like lots of people are complaining over the noise. <http://www.islingtongazette.co.uk/news/helicopter_outrage_hovers_around_islington_1_1020769>; Thankfully I have never been woken up by the helicopter.

Ali · September 2011

It seems like it was £630 cost for each arrest when the helicopter is about but whether they could of caught them with more traditional methods is not mentioned

missisclack · September 2011

Woke me last night, over Corbyn Street. This is the first time in some weeks that I've heard it. It is the length of time hovering that gets me. It's up there for bloody ages.

Roy · October 2011

Noisy tonight again - can hear it with the windows closed.

odd stewart · October 2011

But what are they doing?

nik61 · October 2011

Excessive 'copter noise tonight. Surely their use is ineffective without the ground forces, and where are they? The normal night for helicopter activity is Sunday. Is this a change of pattern? We are told there are no training exercises at night - so what was the real reason they were here? It is evident from the FoI responses of the Mets that they won't tell us. How can this be right? And none of this trash about "if it was your dog that was lost". They're clearly targetting this area because it suits their training schemes for some reason.

miss annie · February 2012

<p>Police helicopter complaints have stopped apparently...</p><p><a href="http://islington.london.myvillage.com/news/police-helicopter-twitter-account-stops-islington-complaints?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">http://islington.london.myvillage.com/news/police-helicopter-twitter-account-stops-islington-complaints?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter</a></p>;

vetski · February 2012

I would appear to be alone in this, but I've always found the sound soothing. When we first moved here in 1999 from Hackney, where choppers were a nightly feature (we lived close to Murder Mile), I couldn't sleep because it was too quiet! I also like napping while the tumble dryer or washing machine are running - perhaps I was the kind of child who would only sleep when driven around...

tomp · February 2012

<div><span style="font-size: 10pt; ">4.30 this morning... hovering for about 30 mins</span></div><div><br></div><div>again - Sunday night. Why ? </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

Marquis · February 2012

They have a twitter feed now: mpsinthesky. I think this one was about a girl missing in Islington.

Marquis · February 2012

There's probably supposed to be an @ or a # before or after it, or something.

Ludotolive · February 2012

Apparently it's to detect cannabis cultivations...<br>

Marquis · February 2012

Or that.

)

StroudGreen.SNT · February 2012

The Police helicopter was called to assist officers in Islington at about 0200 hours to help search for a 14 year old missing child. This may have been the reason. For any that have twitter accounts, the Met Air Support unit now has an account to update local residents @MPSinthesky . PC Paul KANE 263YR Stroud Green SNT

gem · February 2012

@StroudGreen.SNT I don't have a twitter account (and would rather not have it), but would still like to be able to find out about Met Air Support activities. Is there any other way one can use to get updated?

Ian · February 2012

@gem its OK - you don't need a twitter account to read a feed through a web page. Just search on the name given and you should be able to find it.

gem · February 2012

<font face="Arial, Verdana" size="2">Oh yes, I found it. Thanks Ian.</font>

Roy · August 2012

Overhead now. Was pissed off. Then checked the <a href="http://twitter.com/MPSinthesky">Twitter feed</a>, and read that they'd just used the 'copter to arrest a car thief in Edmonton. Perhaps not related, but could even have been flying back from that incident.<br><br>If we know it's doing something useful, it's a lot easier to live with the occasional noise. Keep up the good work!<br>

Roy · August 2012

Wow, and I would never have guessed that the helicopter would be so busy!<br>

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