4 Ways Washington State Patrol Used Airplanes to Fight Crime in 1 Night

The Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit Has Been Busy Lately

All 4 of these examples occurred in the same evening, all in 1 night's work for the Washington State Patrol Aviation Division.

What is the Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit?

The Aviation Unit for the Washington State Patrol has been in existence since 1959 and consists of multiple pilots, officers, maintenance crew, and 6 airplanes. The unit is based out of the Olympia airport and runs support with Washington State Patrol Troopers on the ground in many ways.

The airplanes include 1 King Air B200 that is used for transportation flights, emergency service air operations, fire management, evidence transfer, and a 1 Hour Flight Time response within the State of Washington. The unit also has 3 Cessna-182 planes that are used for speed control, training, and cannabis eradication.

The 2 Planes Used for Homeland Security & the U.S. Navy

There are 2 more Cessna-206 airplanes that are also used for traffic speed enforcement but also for aerial surveillance & photography, video imaging, Homeland Security, hazards response Aircraft, and U.S. Navy security.

According to a document by the Washington State Patrol Aviation, the full features of the specially equipped Cessna-206 planes are a "Stabilized aerial imaging system with Forward Looking Infrared(FLIR), Microwave digital downlink system, Digital recorders, Media computers/software in Olympia for dubbing and DVD production, GPS overlay moving map system, Premier Mobile Data Computer (PMDC), High-resolution monitors, Night capabilities, and a radar altimeter."

If you are interested, you can learn all about the technology, planes, and people that make up the Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit on their website.

4 Ways Washington State Aviation is Helping Fight Crime

You probably have never even noticed it, but Washington State Patrol is using its aviation division to help fight crime in ways officers on the ground just can't accomplish. These next 4 examples were all inside just one day for the Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit.

#1- Busting a Drunk Speeder

Washington State Patrol spotted a speeder on southbound SR-167 in Auburn near 100 mph. The driver was reported driving erratically and passing cars on the shoulder. The Aviation Unit followed the car as it left the freeway and continued driving dangerously before stopping at a drive-thru. The driver was then arrested for many charges including suspicion of DUI.

#2- Doughnut Driver in Kent, Washington

Officers near Kent witnessed a car doing doughnuts and then trying to flee. The Aviation Unit took over the chase from above, following the car to the South Center area to a warehouse. Police units on the ground were alerted and the driver was arrested without incident.

#3- 100+ MPH Racer Cornered by Troopers

The Washington State Patrol Aviation Unit spotted a car driving northbound on SR-167 at over 100+ mph. Troopers clocked the car at 107 exactly and alerted ground units to try and stop the driver. The car refused to stop, reaching speeds of 118 mph as it is followed by multiple police units. Eventually, the driver was cornered by multiple cars blocking the road and Washington State Patrol Troopers on the ground could arrest the driver.

#4- Following Fleeing Street Racers to Their Home

A Washington State Patrol Trooper witnessed multiple street racers and tried to pull one of them over. The car refused to stop leading the Trooper on a chase into the east Auburn residential area. The Aviation Unit managed to follow the driver from above to his home, alerting ground patrols to the location. Troopers at the scene managed to convince the driver to come out of the home and the Aviation Unit was able to confirm the identity of the driver by items they were wearing. That allowed Troopers on the ground to make the arrest.

Watch the entire video footage from all 4 incidents on April 28, 2023, below.