Page 10 - July 2015 Issue
P. 10
the central Texas area in 2011. In 2015 I also
received an Honorable Conduct Citation for 10 years
of discipline free service. In addition to this I have
received awards for safe driving.
EIJ: What certiication do you currently hold?
Steven Lindsay: I am a Master Peace Oficer in
the State of Texas which is the highest level of state
certiication available. I am also certiied as an
airborne thermographer.
EIJ: You currently are a Tactical Flight Oficer
at the Austin Police Department. What are your
responsibilities as a Tactical Flight Oficer?
Steven Lindsay: Well the short answer is that Photo Courtesy of Steven Lindsay
I along with eight other unit members provide Steven Lindsay: I was fortunate to have been selected
rotorcraft/helicopter and ixed wing Air Support to with fairly limited experience in air operations. What
the Police Department and citizens of Austin and the got me into the unit were my accomplishments as a
surrounding areas. We ly several different airframes police oficer and my performance as a police oficer.
and use various technologies including but not limited All of my light experience came from in house and I
to: Thermal and color imaging/cameras, recording was trained by those in the unit.
systems and microwave downlink, radio technology,
and lighting and audio systems. EIJ: I know that you are not able to speak about
Our main mission is to support the ground patrol some of your missions because they are conidential.
Please tell us about two of your MOST memorable
units look for missing people, whether this is leeing missions.
suspects, or missing or lost people. We are also
invaluable with vehicle pursuits in our ability to Steven Lindsay: The best feeling and the missions
record and document the events and manage the where we make the biggest impact are the ones where
pursuit from the air to allow the oficers on the ground the TFO and pilot work as a team and locate someone
to both back off and concentrate on their driving. We that could not have been located easily by any other
handle photo missions, surveillance, and a variety of means.
other assignments. One from several years ago had everything working
With the acquisition of a new aircraft within the last against our favor and we still found the suspect. We
two years we have also started wildland ireighting had been returning from an airplane transport light
with the helicopter and a bucket and long line rescue. from Galveston and were called by our K9 unit who
The Tactical Flight Oficer (TFO) functions as the was looking for a suspect that had led oficers. The
Crew Chief on these missions. airplane was not equipped with the thermal imager that
With the acquisition of a new aircraft within the last we needed for that search. We advised that we would
be en-route but it would be a lengthy response time.
two years we have also started wildland ireighting We had to get the plane back to the airport and secured.
with the helicopter and a bucket and long line rescue. Then prelight and load the helicopter and respond to
The Tactical Flight Oficer (TFO) functions as the the scene. The clock had been ticking for about an hour
Crew Chief on these missions. and a half at this point. We began our response to the
EIJ: As a Tactical Flight Oficer, you are able to ly scene and prior to arrival I directed the camera at the
AS350-B3e, EC-120B, OH-58C, and Cessna 182P. scene which was a large ield and wooded area. While
Please tell us about your experience with operating we were still about a mile from the scene I located a
these planes? subject standing in the ield who ended up being the
suspect. We were both surprised that we were
10
received an Honorable Conduct Citation for 10 years
of discipline free service. In addition to this I have
received awards for safe driving.
EIJ: What certiication do you currently hold?
Steven Lindsay: I am a Master Peace Oficer in
the State of Texas which is the highest level of state
certiication available. I am also certiied as an
airborne thermographer.
EIJ: You currently are a Tactical Flight Oficer
at the Austin Police Department. What are your
responsibilities as a Tactical Flight Oficer?
Steven Lindsay: Well the short answer is that Photo Courtesy of Steven Lindsay
I along with eight other unit members provide Steven Lindsay: I was fortunate to have been selected
rotorcraft/helicopter and ixed wing Air Support to with fairly limited experience in air operations. What
the Police Department and citizens of Austin and the got me into the unit were my accomplishments as a
surrounding areas. We ly several different airframes police oficer and my performance as a police oficer.
and use various technologies including but not limited All of my light experience came from in house and I
to: Thermal and color imaging/cameras, recording was trained by those in the unit.
systems and microwave downlink, radio technology,
and lighting and audio systems. EIJ: I know that you are not able to speak about
Our main mission is to support the ground patrol some of your missions because they are conidential.
Please tell us about two of your MOST memorable
units look for missing people, whether this is leeing missions.
suspects, or missing or lost people. We are also
invaluable with vehicle pursuits in our ability to Steven Lindsay: The best feeling and the missions
record and document the events and manage the where we make the biggest impact are the ones where
pursuit from the air to allow the oficers on the ground the TFO and pilot work as a team and locate someone
to both back off and concentrate on their driving. We that could not have been located easily by any other
handle photo missions, surveillance, and a variety of means.
other assignments. One from several years ago had everything working
With the acquisition of a new aircraft within the last against our favor and we still found the suspect. We
two years we have also started wildland ireighting had been returning from an airplane transport light
with the helicopter and a bucket and long line rescue. from Galveston and were called by our K9 unit who
The Tactical Flight Oficer (TFO) functions as the was looking for a suspect that had led oficers. The
Crew Chief on these missions. airplane was not equipped with the thermal imager that
With the acquisition of a new aircraft within the last we needed for that search. We advised that we would
be en-route but it would be a lengthy response time.
two years we have also started wildland ireighting We had to get the plane back to the airport and secured.
with the helicopter and a bucket and long line rescue. Then prelight and load the helicopter and respond to
The Tactical Flight Oficer (TFO) functions as the the scene. The clock had been ticking for about an hour
Crew Chief on these missions. and a half at this point. We began our response to the
EIJ: As a Tactical Flight Oficer, you are able to ly scene and prior to arrival I directed the camera at the
AS350-B3e, EC-120B, OH-58C, and Cessna 182P. scene which was a large ield and wooded area. While
Please tell us about your experience with operating we were still about a mile from the scene I located a
these planes? subject standing in the ield who ended up being the
suspect. We were both surprised that we were
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