Tulsa Police's helicopter unit honored

Tulsa Police's helicopter unit just won a national award for the best catch of the year. Officers Tim Ward and Tim Smith used the helicopter's infrared camera to help crack open a double homicide

Wednesday, August 4th 2004, 11:48 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police's helicopter unit just won a national award for the best catch of the year. Officers Tim Ward and Tim Smith used the helicopter's infrared camera to help crack open a double homicide case.

They followed a suspect car and saw the men bail out and run and noticed one of them hide something near a tree. The chopper guys directed the officers on the ground to the suspects' locations until all four were arrested.

Tulsa Police officer Tim Ward: "They'll think they're hidden, it'll be pitch black but, we're seeing everything they do."

The officers went back to the neighborhood the next day and found a gun hidden near the tree. Ballistics proved it was the murder weapon used to kill Shelly and Ples Vann.