By Joanna Putman
Police1
NEW YORK — In a video released by the NYPD to showcase the tactics and technology used to locate suspects from the air, an aviation team located a suspected stolen vehicle and began to follow it. The driver fled from patrol officers, but not before stopping on a highway to take a photo of the police helicopter, the video shows.
The video, released on Feb. 29, begins by playing radio broadcasts from officers searching for a white BMW convertible, which was reported to be associated with a felony. Video shows the helicopter crew using cameras to locate the vehicle.
An officer indicated over the radio that the New Jersey State Police had previously attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver had fled.
As the helicopter begins to follow the vehicle, footage shows the suspect vehicle coming to a stop on a lined highway median. The driver then stepped out of the vehicle and lifted his cell phone in front of his face.
“He’s taking a picture of the helicopter,” one of the helicopter crew officers can be heard saying on the radio. “I mean, if you want to get someone over here, now would be a great time.”
The helicopter crew continued communicating with officers on the ground as the driver got into the car and began to drive erratically. The vehicle can be seen making an abrupt turn, driving across lanes of traffic before exiting the highway.
The vehicle drove into a parking garage, where officers on the ground were able to take the driver into custody, body camera footage shows.