Garda Helicopter is grounded.

[ninja bud]

I just read an article in a Sunday paper saying that the Garda heli is basically grounded now because of a lack of funding. With cost over runs following the visit of the Queen and Barrack Obama the funding is simply not there to maintain the two Garda choppers. Only priority calls are now to be flown and the hours the chopper can be airborn in a day has been reduced from 6 to just a half hour per day. The Gardai are also down from 2 choppers to only one to also reduce costs. Looks like they wont be flying any FLIR missions into the future like they do in the UK. Sometimes a ression can be a good thing.
I hate that fucking chopper, always gets me freaked when its flying over my gaff.

 

[paladin420]

Have one hoverin over your home blowin off shingles to truly learn to hate them fuckers..Good news I guess Obummer can do some good after all...pal

 

[VonBudí]

which paper?

still the various search and rescue coppers with flir

 

[ninja bud]

I think it was the Irish Mail On Sunday Von, the article only dealth with the Garda chopper. Im not sure about the rescue choppers

 

[VonBudí]

hope the rescue coppers ones dont get shut down, would think a few tds would get lynched by some of their constituents if they were to ever face the chop

that said nice quote from some where else recently

I live in rural north kerry and a polish couple got done for growing €200k of weed in their house. They were found out because some fella got lost at sea and the coast guard were using thermal imaging to try find him and this couple's house was lit up like a christmas tree. So if you lived away from large bodies of water, you should be grand.

 

[VonBudí]

just a reminder for any one near a dart line, cant find the other article but there were listed dates for the work

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/drivers-alerted-to-lowflying-helicopters-2959986.html

Drivers alerted to low-flying helicopters

MOTORISTS in Dublin were warned yesterday not to be distracted by low-flying helicopters surveying train lines.

Commissioned by Irish Rail and undertaken by PDG Helicopters and Irish Helicopters, the aircraft are scanning DART overhead lines with a thermal imaging camera and checking for overheated parts.

"The aircraft will be flying quite low so people should be cautious," said Ian Baird from Irish Helicopters.

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

I think I remember seeing that the cops in England were using the electricity companys FLIR to detect grow houses, you can also get hand held FLIR camera's and I'm sure they will be using them now with no chopper to fall back on.

 

[COOKIE MONSTER]

Ah I doubt they are spinning around in the squad car with a flir gun.

 

[VonBudí]

I think I remember seeing that the cops in England were using the electricity companys FLIR to detect grow houses, you can also get hand held FLIR camera's and I'm sure they will be using them now with no chopper to fall back on.

Ah I doubt they are spinning around in the squad car with a flir gun.

i remember seeing that article too about the uk police being lent one. Would make sense too that the'd use the hand held ones now but with all parties being skint i doubt its happened so far.

Saw some random uk police show recently when flir was used, amazing detail (irish ones too). I was going to say that if any one wanted to play around with one goto the sustainable buidling show, but looks like its been delayed.

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

Ah I doubt they are spinning around in the squad car with a flir gun.

The drug squad go to all lengths, I wouldn't underestimate them, it would be a lot less expensive for them to use a grounded FLIR camera than a chopper. But if they are scanning your house in the first place your fucked, here's to the DS

 

[slickrymer]

Thank fuck for that they were flying over a tiny estate in Tuam a year or two ago i had a plant but didint get caught what wasters they should legalise it to fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[VonBudí]

saw the sea and rescue heli recently, is there limited on how low helicopters can fly?

 

[cloneX]

Would the cops know if you had a 400w grow going, do they even have thermal cameras or is this how they've caught so many large grows of late? I thought they don't even have a budget for uniforms/boots, but maybe they can still afford camera's, nanny wouldn't want you breaking the law now would she?

 

[MrSterling]

You guys only have two police choppers for the whole nation? That's beautiful! I see twice as many choppers over my house in one day. God bless the USA's budget, right?

I've been seeing an Irish girl, figured I should start reading up just in case

 

[Hundred Gram Oz]

^^^^^ Up north there are a few choppers.

 

[stinkyigloo]

i havent been in the country the last few months, but been hearing about all these major grow op busts. has anybody heard anything about how're people are getting busted? has it been carelessness or tip offs?

 

[VonBudí]

how're people are getting busted? has it been carelessness or tip offs?

LESS than one in five dealers caught with serious quantities of illegal drugs is being given the full "mandatory minimum" 10-year sentence.......But judges are afforded an opt-out mechanism from the 10-year sentence if there are "exceptional and specific circumstances", such as early guilty pleas and co-operation with gardai.

any ideas what the "minimum" is btw?

linky