Originally Posted by SASless
Stan,
Police Agencies throughout the country use non-sworn volunteers, sworn volunteers, and other community assets for the conduct of searches and other activities. They all have insurance policies or self insure for that liability. There is nothing new about that....they in this case were doing that very thing but not with the helicopter and its crew.
I reiterate my earlier post....the SO got caught flat footed on this one. They had a very valuable community asset, of which they were well acquainted with from prior business contacts. The pilot had flown missions for the SO...probably in the very aircraft possibly. That might explain why the crew talked to the SO on the SO's own radio frequency.
They just had not prior planned and coordinated the relationship thus what happened......happened. The "rules" did not allow for any flexibility by the officer coordinating the operation.
SAS I think we are saying the same thing just in different words. I was offering a possible explaination why the incident commander declined the air crews initial offer. I'm not saying I agree with it. Just offering one possible explaination. Good smariten laws aside, I will repeat that some recent case decision may have influenced the incident commanders decision. Thats the only explaination I can think of but it doesnt mean I agree with the decision. Just because the guy is in law enfocement doesnt make him right.
As for the comparison to Katrina, that was a natural disaster on a multi-state level. Not sure if it is even a valid comparison.