WICHITA, Kansas, Dec 20, 2005 -- Consider this your warning; the Kansas Highway Patrol is now watching you from above for the first time in 11 years.
Longtime Highway Patrol pilot, Lt. Bill Faerber and Trooper Joe Ziegler use lines painted on the road and a stop watch to track speeders. They then radio the information to troopers waiting on the ground. But that’s not all. From up in the sky, troopers often have a much better vantage point of other violations, from following to closely to road rage.
"You’re going to start seeing people trying to run each other off the road and then they get upset because they’ll ask us ’how did you see me. You didn’t see me.’ We’ll point up and then, okay you’re kind of caught," said Ziegler.
It’s something most drivers aren’t expecting. Back in 1994, the Kansas Highway Patrol administration grounded the air patrol.
"We, as aircraft, have always wanted to get back in and start doing it again because it is a good tool for the agency," said Lt. Faerber.
A recent change in policy, allowed the three KHP aircraft units to begin patrolling again. In Wichita, Lt. Faerber will be coordinating with ground crews to catch traffic violators about four times a month.
"You never know when you’re going to see a trooper. The plane can be up any time," said Trooper Gary Warner. When we were with them, they were over K-96. Troopers issued 29 tickets in just two hours. But troopers hope that, just by being up there, they will encourage people to be more careful on the road this holiday season. "It’s not trying to pull as many cars over, it’s more for the safety of the people out here," said Faerber.
The KHP also has aircraft units in Hays and Topeka and say they will be flying over all major highways this holiday season.
OK, keep your ears open and post frequencies you hear them on!!!
Longtime Highway Patrol pilot, Lt. Bill Faerber and Trooper Joe Ziegler use lines painted on the road and a stop watch to track speeders. They then radio the information to troopers waiting on the ground. But that’s not all. From up in the sky, troopers often have a much better vantage point of other violations, from following to closely to road rage.
"You’re going to start seeing people trying to run each other off the road and then they get upset because they’ll ask us ’how did you see me. You didn’t see me.’ We’ll point up and then, okay you’re kind of caught," said Ziegler.
It’s something most drivers aren’t expecting. Back in 1994, the Kansas Highway Patrol administration grounded the air patrol.
"We, as aircraft, have always wanted to get back in and start doing it again because it is a good tool for the agency," said Lt. Faerber.
A recent change in policy, allowed the three KHP aircraft units to begin patrolling again. In Wichita, Lt. Faerber will be coordinating with ground crews to catch traffic violators about four times a month.
"You never know when you’re going to see a trooper. The plane can be up any time," said Trooper Gary Warner. When we were with them, they were over K-96. Troopers issued 29 tickets in just two hours. But troopers hope that, just by being up there, they will encourage people to be more careful on the road this holiday season. "It’s not trying to pull as many cars over, it’s more for the safety of the people out here," said Faerber.
The KHP also has aircraft units in Hays and Topeka and say they will be flying over all major highways this holiday season.
OK, keep your ears open and post frequencies you hear them on!!!
