Police using a helicopter to track down stunt drivers in Ottawa

A joint police initiative took place late into the night last week that saw officers lay dozens of charges in the nation’s capital.

Ottawa Police Services and the Ottawa detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) conducted a program on Aug. 15 that saw 51 charges laid during the course of several hours, including a criminal charge against the driver of a motorcycle.

Police attempted to stop the driver after they were caught travelling almost 150 km/h on Highway 417 near Moodie Drive — an area police have said they often catch speeders.

The driver of the motorcycle did not stop for officers, but using the OPP helicopter, teams tracked them to Preston Street where they were arrested. The accused is scheduled to appear in Provincial Court at the end of September.

Other charges laid over the initiative include stunt driving and having a lack of insurance.

Provincial police are gaining two new crime-fighting helicopters in the next 12 to 18 months for these sorts of initiatives. The province promised the force two helicopters in its 2024 budget along with three others to police forces’ in the Greater Toronto Area.

It’s a part of the new Joint Air Support Team that will see OPP acquire two new H135 helicopters, one for Ottawa and the other for Toronto. It is costing the Ontario government $134 million.

The tool will assist police in apprehending suspects, tracking stolen vehicles and finding missing people.