For the next six months, four men will suit up and take turns hovering in the skies above Brevard County's largest city, searching for the lost and looking for the out-of-place. They will be part of Palm Bay Police Department's "Operation Soar," a new pilot paragliding program. The mission: to use the long-established pastime of paragliding to carry out close-ground air searches for missing children or seniors amid the city's winding canals and heavily wooded areas. The ultra-light aircraft, funded with donations and funds from seized assets, also could be deployed for some above-ground patrols in neighborhoods plagued by burglars or other minor crimes, officials said. It's an ambitious step for a department already known for its innovation in being among the first to seek an unmanned drone for patrols. That plan -- which drew national attention and criticism from some local helicopter pilots -- failed to get off the ground after the Federal Aviation Administration stepped in. But officials at the county's second-largest police agency don't believe the motorized paraglider, which will not be flown above 400 feet, would run afoul of the federal agency. The craft, which will be flown for about 45 minutes at a time, also will not be used in pursuits. For that, Palm Bay police will still call on the Brevard County Sheriff's Office helicopter, officials said. The $25,000 paraglider -- produced by Dudek Paragliders manufacturers in Poland and emblazoned with the police department's insignia -- was donated to the agency by Ray McMahon, a Cocoa Beach distributor who operates Powered Para Gliding. The department used $7,000 in seized drug-related funds to install a bulletproof-lined seat, an extra safety chute and a special inflatable vest, officials said. One key concern was whether someone might fire a gun at the flying officers. "In law enforcement, there are all types of risks. They could snipe at us while we're in the patrol cars, as has happened in the past," said Joe Eakins, an administrator in the Palm Bay Police Department who helped oversee the paraglider initiative. "But with the distance and height, we'll be less apt to be hit." Police administrators are excited by the prospect of doing flying patrols.( Story by clickorlando.com )
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