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COURTESY HONOLULU POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Honolulu Police Department acquired a second Hughes 500 helicopter.
The Honolulu Police Department recently acquired its second MD 500-E helicopter.
The blue single-engine Hughes 500 is a a civilian version of the U.S. Army’s OH-6A Cayuse/Loach.
Police said the helicopter will be used by the Specialized Services Division’s Helicopter Section.
The primary functions of the section is to provide aerial observation and support to other police units. The section also provides traffic monitoring, recovery of stolen vehicles and the eradication of marijuana and other illegal drugs.
Recently, HPD helicopters assisted with search and rescue efforts for the two Marine helicopters that crashed in waters off Oahu’s North Shore last month.
HFD needs the best helicopters, I hope they got one also!
They have two very good ones, as well as some top notch rescue pilots too.
I want a ride
Thanks to Federal Forfeiture laws, HPD can get whatever they want. The only City & County department with a serious surplus in funds. And yet, we can’t get high-character quality-integrity recruits to fill all those openings. Instead, we got the biggest gang on the Island.
Probably use it to hand out more driving tickets. According to the comments on this site over the past couple years, it’s what they do best……and to many, it’s ALL they do.
Perhaps Honolulu has the most inconsiderate and unfit drivers requiring a reassessment of the licensing process.
I agree. It didn’t use to be that way. Where did all these inconsiderate drivers come from? They wouldn’t yield to pedestrians or other drivers, they don’t signal, they run red lights, and they speed like crazy particularly ion the freeways. Got to get home.
They get rewarded with overtime, etc.
Mostly for drug missions? How much did this cost?