New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-22
After
Low Flying
Plane Drivers
Aerial Police Ordered to
End Stunts Over Polo
Grounds and Protect Pic.
mic PARTIES i'm Parks
Jersey to Lend Aid
Violators Chased Over State
e Line To Be Seized; Must
Not DIR p Below 5000 Ft.

New York sky cops, who have so far
mad nothing to do, are going to earn
their keep from now on. Ordinary
cops will continue to chase the high
myers, but the lowfyers are the birds
the sky cop brigade will look out for.
1t is year now since the Police De-
partment organized a force Of uni
formed airmen, on the general prin-
ciple that they might be hardy to have
around. To date they have been handy
and around, but that's oil. Only on
rare occasions have they left the
ground
But now the Police Departments air
force is going to qult the ranks of the
unemployed and go to work. Most any
time the bluebirds are liable to take
tho air.
The reason Is that complaints have
reached Police Headquarters that avia-
tors flying above the city have not kent
their distance. The most vehement
complaint came from tho Polo Grounds,
where, it is charged, the lives of spec
tators have been endangered by low
"stunt" flying.
1t is narrowing experience, citizens
complain, too, to be picnicing in Gen.
trail Park and have some low-hying
sumter drop a monkey wrench smack
into the butter. The folks who seek
the great open spaces within easy reach
of the subways are being seriously
riled by airmen who played Peeping
Tom. One solitary airplane crashing
into the middle Of family park party
can practically ruin the entire day.
There is civic ordinance all ready
for the swoopers. 1t is against the
law to fly over New York lower than
5000 feet in the all. When the reck-
less aviator drops to 4,999 feet inches
he is liable to arrest The sky cops will
get him if he don't watch out.
Hereafter violators will be severely
dealt with. The scheme is to shoot
down persistent offenders with ma
chine guns, which seems almost severe
enough.
Captains of police precincts have
been directed from Headquarters to
risk crick in the neck by keeping one
eye peeled for flyers who drop to with
in the 5,00o-foot limit The method by
which an exact measurement is to be
obtained is being kept dark secret,
but in any event it will just be the
flyers word against the cop, and what
chance has the flyer? Ask any motor
ist.
Sky cops all ready to go into action
will be parked at convenient points,
either at Fort Hamilton Brooklyn, OF
the foot of East Eighty-sixth Street,
Manhattan. When the criminal Is
caught in the act of swooping, the
precinct will report to Headquarters
and sky cop in police plane WILL
take up the pursuit.
1t looks rather as if popular line
in the near future will be: "What? Me
flying within 5000 feet of the ground ?
Why, officer, on the level, this old ket-
tie couldn't get within 5000 feet on
bet; not even when she was new"
The following was issued last night
from the Office of Special Deputy Police
Commissioner Rodman Wanamaker, in
command of the air reserves:
"Orders from this department have
gone out to Captain Theodore Bridge
man to proceed to Hasbrouck Heights,
N. j.. to patrol the New Jersey coast,
and the New Jersey State police have
assigned an officer to fly with Captain
Bridgeman to make arrests in case
the avistors land on the Jersey side
when chased by police planes.
"Now that the police reserves have
been made regular legalized division
of the New York Police Department no
mercy will be shown to yiolators,"