On Saturday night a crowd of 50-100 young people had gathered around the intersection of York Rd. and Pennsylvania Av., and police received calls that some members of the crowd were fighting one another.

The police cars were dispatched to help manage and disperse the crowd. In a situation like this the helicopter would not land. Its purpose in a situation such as this would be to serve as eyes from above for the officers on the street. Officers in the air could watch the crowd, and get an assessment of its size. By radio, they could also alert officers on the ground if members of the crowd were moving off in different directions, allowing officers on the ground to respond to those movements. This overview - literally an OVERview - would provide vital information for officers below.

The helicopter also has technology that might be useful in a situation such as this to back up officers on the ground . Its spotlight that can illuminate the streets and alleys below. If, for example, members of the crowd moved down an alley, the helicopter could light up the area, denying the group a place to hide, and also exposing the group's presence to officers on the ground.

Or, if individual members of the crowd should try to hide, for example, behind a dumpster or between parked cars in a parking lot, out of view of officers on the street, the helicopter has a thermal imaging device to find them. With this device, officers in the helicopter can use a video monitor in the aircraft to "see" the body heat of individuals who think they are hidden by the shadows. They stand out clearly, and the aviation unit can direct officers to their location.