Paragliders Give Cops an Eye in the Sky

PALM BAY, Fla., May 9, 2009 — -- In one Florida community, cops are not just walking the beat, they are soaring high above it.

The Palm Bay Police Department in Florida has become the first in the nation to put its officers in powered paragliders, the ultra-light flying machines usually associated with adventure sports, not police work.

Police Chief Bill Berger says they are a way for the department to have a bird's eye view of the semi-rural city at minimal cost.

"Because we don't have a lot of roadway here, this gives us the ability to basically take short cuts," said Berger.

Four officers are training to fly the powered paragliders, including Lt. Mark Renkins, who has flown recreationally for several years.

"It doesn't replace a helicopter or a fixed-wing [airplane]," said Renkins. "But it gives the department some aerial capability, when it had none at all."

It costs about $10,000 to purchase the paragliding equipment and pay for training, which makes it a more affordable option for the 150-officer Palm Bay Police Department.

The gliders consist of little more than a seat tethered to a parachute and powered, essentially, by an oversized lawn-mower engine. The paraglider uses about a gallon of gas per hour.

The gliders have the ability to fly at low altitudes and controlled, low speeds, which may be useful in search-and-rescue operations and some types of surveillance.

Palm Bay, Fla., is a sprawling community spanning more than 100 square miles with a substantial retirement community. Chief Berger sees the gliders as an ideal tool for searching for missing elderly people who have wandered away.

"The problem with helicopters is you can't go below 1,000 feet," said Berger. "The canopy of trees in our community prevented the helicopter from seeing a woman who had [died] close to her car. The paragliders would have been able to get much lower."