The Sky Knight Helicopter Program is an airborne law enforcement program in Lakewood, California

Lakewood, California

Lakewood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 80,048 at the 2010 census. It is bordered by Long Beach on the west and south, Bellflower on the north, Cerritos on the northeast, Cypress on the east, and Hawaiian Gardens on the southeast. Major thoroughfares...

 which began service in 1966. The unit operates using non-sworn pilots, employed by the city of Lakewood, partnered with a sworn deputy sheriff from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is a local county law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. It is the fourth largest local policing agency in the United States, with the New York City Police Department being the first. The second largest is the Chicago Police...

, Lakewood station. The unit currently operates three Schweizer 300C helicopters based at Long Beach airport, and flies about 1,800 hours per year.

History

The city of Lakewood, California, Sky Knight helicopter patrol program took form in June 1966 from a suggestion by Hugh MacDonald, former aviation unit chief of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. MacDonald saw an immediate need to move airborne law enforcement from special operations toward routine patrols and aerial command. With the support of Sheriff Peter Pitchess, MacDonald chose the City of Lakewood as the best site to test the idea of a helicopter patrol program. The decision involved Lakewood city officials, Lakewood Sheriff’s station Captain Ted von Minden, the Hughes Tool Company

Hughes Tool Company

Hughes Tool Company was established in 1908 as Sharp-Hughes Tool Company when Howard R. Hughes, Sr. patented a roller cutter bit that dramatically improved the rotary drilling process for oil drilling rigs. He partnered with longtime business associate Walter Benona Sharp to manufacture and market...

 (Manufacturers of the 300B helicopters to be flown in the study), and the federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

The Law Enforcement Assistance Administration was a U.S. federal agency within the U.S. Dept. of Justice. It administered federal funding to state and local law enforcement agencies, and funded educational programs, research, state planning agencies, and local crime initiatives.The LEAA was...

.

One of the first two pilots in the Sky Knight program was LA County Sheriff Deputy Richard E. Waldow. A resident of Long Beach, "Dick" Waldow was a perfect candidate for this pioneering law enforcement position, having already logged many hours of helicopter and fixed-wing flight experience while serving as a US Marine during the Korean War

Korean War

The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...

.

The results of the Sky Knight program were almost immediate. During the 18 month study, crime in Lakewood went down by 11 percent while it rose 9 percent in the rest of Los Angeles County during the same period. The program was so successful that it expanded to the other cities served by Lakewood Sheriff's station.

Sky Knight became the first airborne law enforcement program in the nation to fly regularly scheduled patrols. In a continued history of firsts, Sky Knight also employed the first female law enforcement pilot, Monica McIntyre.

Present day

Today, Sky Knight is completely integrated within the sheriff’s tactical operations. Five other cities (Artesia

Artesia, California

Artesia is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California. Artesia was incorporated on May 29, 1959 and is one of Los Angeles County's Gateway Cities. The city has a 2010 census population of 16,522...

, Bellflower

Bellflower, California

Bellflower is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and is a suburb of Los Angeles. It was incorporated on September 3, 1957. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,616, up from 72,878 at the 2000 census....

, Hawaiian Gardens

Hawaiian Gardens, California

Hawaiian Gardens is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the smallest city in the county and was incorporated on April 9, 1964. The population was 14,254 at the 2010 census, down from 14,779 at the 2000 census.The town's unusual name originated in a 1920s refreshment...

, Paramount

Paramount, California

Paramount is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. According to the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 54,098 down from 55,266 at the 2000 census...

 and Cerritos

Cerritos, California

Cerritos is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and is one of several cities that constitute the Gateway Cities of southeast Los Angeles County. It was incorporated on April 24, 1956...

) contract with Lakewood to participate in the Sky Knight program. These five cities also contract with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for police services. Participating in the Sky Knight program gives these cities a significant advantage over using the Sheriff's Aero Bureau because the response time is so much quicker. A sheriff's helicopter on patrol in the west part of the county can take 10–15 minutes, or more, to respond to an incident in the Lakewood area. Sky Knight can respond to calls in 2 to 3 minutes.

Sky Knight responds to every type of call encountered by normal deputy sheriffs on the ground. The unit assists by acting as an aerial command post coordinating everything from burglary or robbery in progress calls to vehicle pursuits.

Notable Incidents

Sky Knight has handled some of the most noteworthy emergencies in the years since its inception.

Aeroméxico Flight 498

In 1986, Sky Knight flew continuously over the scene of the crash of Aeroméxico Flight 498

Aeroméxico Flight 498

Aeroméxico Flight 498, registration , was a Douglas DC-9-32 on route from Mexico City, Mexico to Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles, California, United States on August 31, 1986. N4891F was a privately-operated Piper PA-28-181 Archer owned by the Kramer family en route from Torrance to...

 in nearby Cerritos. Sky Knight was one of the first law enforcement units at the scene and the first to provide a comprehensive assessment of the disaster. As rescue efforts continued, Sky Knight pilot Monica McIntyre was given responsibility as on-scene air traffic controller, guiding medivac helicopters to the crash site, and positioning news media helicopters away from flight corridors. The Cerritos disaster was a spectacular example of Sky Knight’s abilities as a command platform and observation post.

The 1991 San Gabriel Flood Control Channel Incident

In early 1991, as unexpected spring runoff poured through the region’s flood control channels, Sky Knight rescued two boys who had been swept away while bike riding in the San Gabriel River bed. Landing downstream, Sky Knight Pilot Carl Cortez and his observer, Deputy George Collins, formed a human chain to pull the youngsters from the water. More than once the force of the flow nearly brought down both men as they struggled to rescue the two boys. Finally, they brought the exhausted and cold youngsters to safety. For their courage and quick thinking, pilot Cortez and observer Collins received the 1991 Lakewood Award of Valor.

The 2003 Lakewood Gang Shooting

In 2003, following a gang shooting in Lakewood, Sky Knight pilot Monica McIntyre and L.A. Sheriff's tactical observer Deputy Dale Nowicki, responded to the area. Already a recognized patrol tactics expert, Nowicki quickly located the suspect vehicle as it fled the area towards an adjacent county (Orange County, CA). While McIntyre piloted the helicopter, Nowicki was able to coordinate the ground unit response and call the subsequent pursuit. Making this particular pursuit noteworthy was that for over two hours, this extended pursuit crossed numerous city and county law enforcement jurisdictions. Additionally, two helicopters from neighboring county jurisdictions responded to assist in the pursuit. Nowicki was able to seamlessly direct new lead units from all the different agencies, coordinate the additional air units, and maintain effective command and control, thus insuring the safety of the public and ground officers. The suspect was captured after he abandoned the vehicle and ran into a house. Nowicki directed ground units to the house, and after a barricaded suspect containment, the suspect was taken into custody. For his leadership, professionalism, tactical excellence, and calm communications, Nowicki received an Award for Exemplary Service from the City of Lakewood.