The Calgary Police Service’s Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWCS) turned 30 on Oct. 8, with a bittersweet celebration that commemorated the successes of the CPS Air Support Unit but also the police death that led to its creation.

On Oct. 8, 1993, Constable Rick Sonnenberg was killed while laying a spike strip on Deerfoot Trail, attempting to stop a stolen vehicle. He was struck by the youth driver and killed instantly.

His death galvanized Calgarians, leading to the service first unveiling HAWCS in 1995—a helicopter purchase that had some police provenance, at least in fiction, as the helicopter used in the action movie Speed starring Keanu Reeves.

“We started off with that first MD helicopter. That was a used helicopter, it was used in movies, and it was that pilot project. It was started by then Sergeant Kevin Brookwell off the corner of his desk with the help of Lisa Stinson (nee Sonnenberg) and a whole bunch of people that contributed to getting it. They saw the value of it, and I think obviously the service saw the value,” said Sgt. Brent Hutt, with the CPS Air Service Unit.

Calgary Police Chief Katie McLellan said that the helicopters were not just a tool, but a lifeline for officers and the public.

“They give our officers options for safer and smarter ways to respond. Because of HAWCS, we have changed how we do things. We hold back when we need to. We plan better. We save lives,” she said.

“We are proud to carry [Rick Sonnenberg’s] legacy forward, with him watching over us from above.”

Now on the third generation of HAWCS helicopters, the service, over the past 30 years, has attended more than 100,000 calls for assistance by officers for everything from criminal cases to missing persons, and has helped in the arrest of more than 14,000 people, resulting in more than 31,000 charges.

Sgt. Hutt said those numbers make up for the sometimes admitted discomfort that Calgarians have from having a helicopter overhead making noise at night.

“We’ll get the odd noise complaint which always says, ‘the helicopter is over my house and it’s too noisy.’ I’ll always say the helicopter’s over your house for a reason. We don’t just fly around. We’re not doing city tours. We’re there to catch criminals. We’re there to keep officers safe. We’re there to keep Calgarians safe,” he said.

“If you’re hearing it, it’s because they’re working and they’re working hard.”

Helping Calgary and surrounding communities

That working hard also extends to other jurisdictions, where HAWCS is also used to support the RCMP in surrounding communities.

“We’ll get a lot of stuff that starts in Calgary, and people think, ‘Well, maybe if I go to Okotoks, the Calgary police won’t want me anymore. Not the case. We know that, and vice versa, right? People will come into the city thinking they’ll be able to lose the Mounties, but not when this machine’s up in the air,” said Sgt. Hutt.

He said not having the presence of HAWCS was unthinkable as a police officer.

“I’ve been a police officer for 25 years. I’ve been in this unit for a year and a half. Before that, I was a patrol officer, and patrol is a dangerous place. We know that, and I’ve been down dark alleys by myself, and when you hear the thunder of the rotors slap in the air, no one there watching your back,” said Sgt. Hutt.

“There’s a sense of calm that calms us down as officers, and I see firsthand the value of it, because we’re catching guys that we wouldn’t be able to catch.”

That comes in part due to the equipment on the helicopters—two of them—that allow for 24/7 flights and constant ability to respond to assistance requests.

Each has an HSL-1600 searchlight that produces 50 million candlepower and can light a city block, and the helicopters’ Wescam MX-10 multisensor cameras can be used both during the day and in the dark.

While those systems could be attached to a drone, Sgt. Hutt said that, currently, the limited flight time of those UAVs compared to a helicopter doesn’t quite make them ready to replace HAWCS.

“I get asked that quite a bit. I imagine that day will come, probably not in my lifetime or your lifetime. The limitations of drones are, of course, you’re 20 minutes in the air. Within a short speed this aircraft can be across the city in two minutes, eyes on target, assisting our members right away. So, will that day come where there’s something at 30,000 feet? I’m sure it will, but it won’t be while I’m here,” he said.