Eyes in the Sky: Jurisdictions Combine to Improve Helicopter Patrols

2004
Pilot Jim Hilderbrand performs a pre-flight check on a St. Louis County helicopter before flying his shift. (Rick Graefe photo/Suburban Journals)

Helicopter pilot Jim Hilderbrand is none too happy with the outcome of the evening's events. He openly expressed his feelings as he settled in for a late-night cup of coffee in the ARCH Air Medical Headquarters break room.

What's got the St. Louis County police helicopter pilot so frustrated is that moments earlier, a suspect he was chasing by air apparently had eluded police capture ... for now, anyway.

"We did what we could. You're too hard on yourself, brother," his co-pilot, Korey Kline, reassured him.

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