Hometown Military News for April 22, 2016:
Illinois National Guard and law enforcement train to combat drugs from the air
BLOOMINGTON – Illinois’ war against illicit drugs is a challenge. Success is dependent upon the resources and intelligence available to any law enforcement agency, but sometimes that alone is not enough. Sometimes, it takes a cooperative effort from other organizations to close a case.
That is when members of the Illinois National Guard’s Detachment 1, Company B, 1st Battalion, 376th Aviation Regiment come into play. The Decatur-based unit supports the Illinois National Guard’s Counter-Drug Task Force. This program partners with local and state drug interdiction agencies to help with training, intelligence sharing and aerial support.
Agents from several agencies participated in training with the aviation unit on March 29 at the Central Illinois Regional Airport in Bloomington. The focus of the training was to help local agents become familiar with the aerial support the task force has to offer them.
Participants took part in a brief class to discuss the capabilities of the Illinois National Guard’s UH-72A Lakota helicopter, a high-performance helicopter built for a multi-mission environment. Afterwards, the Guardsmen provided the agents an orientation flight over Bloomington to see, first-hand, how the Lakota can assist in the fight against illicit drugs.
One of the Lakota’s most exploited assets is the forward mounted infrared sensor that has the ability to track targets automatically and offers extraordinary range and detail. The sensors are capable of reading a license plate from a distance where the helicopter can remain undetected. The Lakota also utilizes advanced GPS and mapping systems.
The counter-drug task force pilot in charge of the training said the same tools were utilized in 2015 when they assisted U.S. Border Patrol agents help stop the flow of drugs, human cargo, weapons and money from freely flowing across the border.
“We conduct these orientation classes for local, state and federal law enforcement agencies just to let them know what capabilities they have at their disposal,” the pilot said. “We’re here to support these agencies’ investigations and all they have to do is ask for assistance.”
He emphasized that the task force’s use of the Lakota is strictly for counter-drug enforcement, a regulation closely adhered to.
The Lakota is also a good fit for the Illinois National Guard, not just because they can serve multiple mission types, but because they are the cheapest to buy, operate and maintain compared to other Army aircraft. Eurocopter, the manufacture of the Lakota, estimates Lakota’s are 30 to 50 percent less expensive to fly than UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.
Since the start of the 2016 fiscal year, on October 1, the aerial team has supported 41 cooperative missions with law enforcement agencies, logging more than 30 flight hours.
Their efforts have greatly contributed to the overall success of the Illinois National Guard’s Counter-Drug Task Force. Thus far, this fiscal year, the task force has assisted in the seizure of more than $102 million in drugs and property and helped effect more than 450 arrests. Last fiscal year, they also helped seized more than $519 in drugs and property.
“The Lakota’s capabilities are impressive,” said one of the agents participating in the training. “I’m excited to start incorporating all this helicopter has to offer into our future operations.”
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