.@OPDABLE1 is up!#THPTHPTHP
— Omaha Scanner (@omaha_scanner) November 3, 2018
The Omaha City Council recently voted to move the location where Omaha Police Department's Able One fleet takes off and lands.
Officers say Omaha's Northwest Precinct receives the most calls because of the volume of people who live in that area of the city.
Next year, the fleet of four helicopters will be moving to Blair Municipal Airport, where they'll fix up a hangar. At least one city councilmember questioned response times from Blair.
Police say the move will allow them to upgrade the fleet in the future.
The fleet assists officers in all parts of the city with traffic stops, suspect searches, missing persons, criminal investigations, and high-speed chases.
OPD Lt. Mike Davis says many times they're up in the air when an assist is needed.
"I don't think there's going to be much difference — there'll be a little bit of a difference," Davis said. "If we respond to Northwest Omaha or Elkhorn, it would take us less time to get there from Blair than North Omaha."
Two pilots are always on staff for Able One every day, and they're always willing to help, even when the emergency is outside the city.
Flying with @OPDABLE1 over the Westroads area looking east. They say they’re responding more to calls in NW Omaha. @3NewsNowOmaha pic.twitter.com/Uf3rNYK8Ys
— Jake Wasikowski (@jakewasikowski) November 14, 2018
OPD says they've also assisted rural communities a couple times a week. They back up officers on traffic stops, suspect searches, missing persons, and criminal investigations — and are ready to help every day, from late afternoons into the overnight hours.
Requests for assistance from the Nebraska State Patrol or smaller law enforcement agencies have taken the fleet to situations in South Dakota, Central Nebraska, Iowa, and south of Lincoln.
"It's a lot easier for us to see them farther away, and it's a lot easier to get them into custody when there's no other obstructions besides corn," Davis said.
Making a difference inside and outside the city limits isn't only about lending a helping hand, he said.
"It also builds up a good network for our helicopter and it shows a good use for it," he said. "We like helping these smaller communities, and we like building our importance for not just the Omaha Police Department but for the surrounding agencies as well."
