Latest news with #AviationUnit
New York Post
26-07-2025
- New York Post
Ousted NYPD Aviation head was 'incompetent boob,' a police source said
The head of the NYPD's Aviation Unit was booted from the elite squad this week after trying to block the feds from probing his dangerous mishaps, The Post has learned. Aviation's Commanding Officer Winston Faison was an 'incompetent boob' who had numerous breaches in safety as he attempted to make himself the unit's head helicopter instructor, whistleblowers revealed. When FAA inspectors made a surprise visit to the base on July 16 because of internal complaints to the agency, Faison flipped his lid, police sources said. Advertisement 9 The NYPD's Aviation Unit's former Commanding Officer Winston Faison is being investigated internally, police sources said. Winston Faison/ Facebook 'Do not give them anything!'' he barked at his cops, an insider said. 'Who let them on the base?' Members have complained to the FAA and to NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau about Faison, 52, who took over in 2023 after stints at Youth Strategies, Community Affairs and two Brooklyn precincts. Complaints included: Advertisement Nearly crashed at the Brooklyn home base while flying the unit's pricey Bell 407 training helicopter with a student next to him during a hard landing in the last week in June. 'He and the student hit the ground hard,' the first source said. Neither was hurt. while flying the unit's pricey Bell 407 training helicopter with a student next to him during a hard landing in the last week in June. 'He and the student hit the ground hard,' the first source said. Neither was hurt. Took the same helicopter for a solo jaunt up the Hudson River on April 25, flying in the wrong seat against manufacturer's rules. 'There are emergency procedures that can only be performed sitting in the right (hand) seat,' said a second police source. The helicopter's tail rotor leaked oil and Faison didn't catch it because he doesn't do pre-flight checks as required by the FAA, the sources said. 'When he landed the tail of the aircraft was covered in oil,' the second source said. Hired new employees without the oversight of the NYPD, the sources said. 'He's working around department rules to get his people in,' a third source said. Oversped his rotor and 'could have torched a half-million engine we just got,' the first source said. 'Drooped'(cq) the rotor system down to dangerously low speeds, nearly crashing, the sources said. Caused structural damage to a $40,000 tail rotor while practicing a 'quick stop' maneuver over rocks on July 4. 'If that goes, you're going to spin around like a top,' the first source said. 9 He caused was damage to the unit's training helicopter during a hovering maneuver, police sources said. Obtained by the New York Post 9 The damage was structural and the $40,000 tail rotor had to be replaced, the sources said. Obtained by the New York Post Luckily, the tail rotor damage occurred during the final flight on the July 4 holiday, so Faison couldn't fly again, the sources said. Advertisement 'He didn't understand why he couldn't keep flying,' the first source said. The incident wasn't immediately reported to the National Transportation Safety Board as required, the third source said. 9 Faison used up the training helicopter's hours to get his instructor's license, the sources said. Instagram/ independentheli The unit bought two new blades for a total $80,000 to be safe, the sources said. Advertisement The Bell 407, which is used for teaching new pilots, was purchased in 1996 and is worth about $1.5 million. The unit also has four Bell 429's for patrolling, two Bell 412's for air sea rescues and a spy plane that can detect radioactivity. During the FAA visit, the feds left word that they would be back to talk to Faison, but he told his cops to keep them out, the sources said. 9 Faison went to an $80,000 weeklong class in Texas for training in the Bell 412 for air sea rescues, the sources said. Winston Faison/ Facebook 'He's telling them you're not to let the FAA through the guard booth,' the second source said. Faison also threatened to lock up the records, the insiders said. ''We're not locking up these records,'' the mechanics said, according to the second source. 9 Faison became an NYPD officer in 2000 and joined Aviation in 2023, records show. Winston Faison/ Facebook 'His biggest fear is for him to be exposed as the incompetent boob that he is,' a second law enforcement source said. Advertisement 'The only way this guy is going to learn his lesson is when he kills somebody,' another source added. Faison who insiders say is friends with Mayor Adams, was put in charge of the unit in 2023 and made $234,903 in 2024, records show. 9 Faison also runs a non-profit that aims to help underpriviledged kids become pilots. Winston Faison/ Facebook Faison, who joined the NYPD in 2000 and became the unit's first black commander to fanfare in 2023, began training for his instructor's license in April and obtained it May 28. Advertisement He got his coveted helicopter instructor's license in record time on the city's dime despite showing up so late to a $80,000 course in Texas that concerned trainers in the Lone Star State called the unit's base at Floyd Bennett Field, Brooklyn, the second source said. 'It used to take a decade to become a helicopter instructor in the unit,' the third source said. 'This guy does it in 18 months.' 9 Faison made history in 2023 when he became the first Black man to run the elite NYPD unit. News 12 Like most NYPD pilots, he had a private plane license when he joined the unit. Advertisement Faison went to two Bell training programs on the city's dime totaling more than $100,000 — one for $80,000 and the other around $20,000, including the air and sea rescue class he showed up to late in Texas despite having a travel day, the sources said. Meanwhile, pilots in the unit are working double and triple shifts because of high attrition at the NYPD, the sources said. 9 Faison previously worked in two Brooklyn precincts. Winston Faison/ Facebook 'He used up all the hours in the helicopter,' a fourth source said, explaining that helicopters have to be taken out of service after so many flying hours. 'There were pilots sitting around because he pushed them aside for himself.' Advertisement No reason was given for his ouster in an internal NYPD document that went out to members Thursday night. A police source familiar with Faison's transfer said he is under internal investigation. The FAA could suspend or revoke Faison's pilot's license. Faison hung up on a reporter who called him Friday. The NYPD didn't comment.
CBS News
17-06-2025
- CBS News
Video shows Maryland police using aerial support to track down stolen car
Video footage shows the Anne Arundel County Police Department using support from its Aviation Unit to track down a stolen car. On May 7, detectives conducting surveillance near Crain Highway in Glen Burnie spotted suspects near a stolen car that had been flagged by a license plate reader. Detectives followed the car while the Aviation Unit provided aerial support. 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝, 𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐈𝐧 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐲 On May 7, 2025, detectives conducting proactive surveillance in the area of Crain Highway in Glen Burnie observed suspicious activity involving a… — Anne Arundel County Police Department (@AACOPD) June 17, 2025 Police executed a traffic stop near Jumpers Hole Road and Mountain Road and took two individuals into custody without incident. The vehicle was successfully recovered. Maryland police departments begin using drone technology Maryland police departments have begun to utilize drone technology more in recent months. Earlier in June, Howard County Police found a missing 5-year-old boy using a drone with thermal imaging technology. In April 2024, police used drone thermal imaging to track down a teen who crashed a stolen vehicle and was attempting to evade police in Columbia. The footage released by HCPD showed an officer checking the stolen vehicle for occupants before speaking with witnesses to try and find the suspect. Police used the drone to locate the suspect near the crash site. The Frederick County Police Department launched its drone program in February, which included the deployment of three Skydio X10 drones for search and rescue, public event monitoring, and disaster surveys. Drones were used in the capture of David Linthicum in 2023, a man found guilty of shooting two Baltimore County Police officers before fleeing to Fallston, leading police on a multi-day manhunt. In November 2024, Harford County Police used drones to track down two teens suspected of breaking into over 20 vehicles. The drones were able to capture the suspects' body heat to track the suspects down. The 15- and 16-year-olds were later charged with breaking into at least 21 cars in a crime spree in Abingdon and Joppa. Harford County currently has 11 drones in its fleet. In April 2024, Harford County Police also used drones to capture suspects in two home invasions. The Harford County Sheriff said drones are cheaper than helicopters, require less staff to operate, and can be deployed more quickly. "Public safety is enhanced through these kinds of technologies, and there's going to be a day where it's probably going to be standard to have one in every car," Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said. ACLU raises concerns about drone use The American Civil Liberties Union has raised concerns about privacy regarding police drones being used to monitor protests. The organization estimates that about 80% of law enforcement agencies nationwide use drones, a number expected to grow.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A boy with autism was reported missing in Gwinnett County. Here's what happened next...
The Brief We're learning more about a search for a ten-year-old boy with autism. He disappeared from his home on Bethany Church Road in Snellville. The Gwinnett County Police Aviation Unit spotted the boy from the air and guided officers on the ground to his location. GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Authorities are releasing more details about how they were able to find a 10-year-old boy with autism who had been reported missing last month. What we know A boy was missing, and his mom was desperate. Gwinnett County police body cam video shows an officer radioing in his description. "The 10-year-old is going to be in a tan shirt, New York state is on the shirt, brown sweatpants, black shoes, he's on foot," the officer said. Police sent out officers on the ground and in the air. Air-1 took off to help in the search. "It's always a little scary for parents when a child goes missing," said Tactical Flight Officer Steven Johnson with the Gwinnett County Police Department's Aviation Unit. It happened around 9 p.m. on April 29. The boy, just 10 years old, disappeared while playing near his home. What they're saying "I wanted to be able to get there and help as much as possible," said Officer Johnson, who is part of the crew that got the call and is a dad. "Just trying to think about what you would do or what you can do to help as a parent, let alone an officer." Officers from Gwinnett County police fanned out. "We were using infrared," Officer Johnson said. Finding a person at night in the dark with trees obscuring the view is challenging even with infrared cameras. "It's harder for the IR camera to penetrate through, so it becomes a lot more difficult to spot people." Police scanned the woods for two-and-a-half hours searching for the boy, Johnson said. The Air-1 crew decided to check near the child's home one more time before they headed back to refuel. "We ended up spotting him in a field about 200 yards from his house," Johnson said. Air-1 spotted the boy alone in the woods, appearing to dance. "Every once in a while, he would go hide under a tree and just ball up and sit on the ground," Johnson said. "We love being able to find bad guys. When we find people who don't know they're in trouble or they need the help, it's a great relief." Paramedics treated the boy, and police returned him to safety. The Source The Gwinnett County Police Department provided the details for this article.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Woman killed, Gwinnett County police searching for suspect
Gwinnett County police are investigating a homicide and searching for a suspect. Police received a 911 call just after midnight from a home on Hillsborough Drive. When officers arrived, they found a woman dead inside the home. There were two children inside the home in separate rooms when officers arrived. One of those children called 911. Officers learned that shortly before they arrived, the suspect ran from the home. Police believe the victim and suspect knew each other and the incident began as a domestic dispute between them. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The nature of the relationship between them has not been determined. Police are not yet sure of the exact cause of death of the woman. That will be determined by the Medical Examiner. Gwinnett Police Department's Aviation Unit and K9 officers searched for the suspect, but have been unable to locate them. Police do not believe that the children are related to either the victim or the suspect, but they are safe. At this point in the investigation, police don't know if the victim lived at the home or not. TRENDING STORIES: Video of fight involving teacher at DeKalb school being used in investigation Multiple people detained after shots fired inside Cobb County business Young Thug says 'he's too big for jail' as he talks about life after incarceration, new music [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
