The call usually comes in from the local air traffic control tower; an aircraft while landing or taking off was "hit by a laser"; that is someone on the ground intentionally pointed a laser inside the aircraft from the ground. Thankfully, most incidents remain merely alarming and do no permanent or lasting harm. Unfortunately, these incidents, should they blind the pilot, could lead to a disaster.
A few years back, a New York City Police Helicopter was hit by a laser while flying over a public park, the aircrew was able to pinpoint the general location where the laser came from and ground units were able to arrest a teenager. The teen apparently thought it would be cool to laser an aircraft. He was arrested on a wide array of federal and state criminal charges. More recently, the airship providing television coverage for the US Open in New York City was hit by a laser, once again from someone in a public park. In this case, the actor fled and was not apprehended.
When a laser incident is reported to police aviation units, their primary response is to fly to the general area in which they believe the laser came from and then attempt to draw out the actor by watching for additional incidents or having the laser pointed at their own aircraft.
Terrorists?
The FBI and Homeland Security Department have issued memos to law enforcement agencies stating that evidence indicates terrorists have considered using lasers as weapons. Federal officials have found no evidence any incidents to date are part of a terrorist plot. In a speech delivered in 2005, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta stated, "Let me address the security issue. There is no specific or credible intelligence that would indicate that these laser incidents are connected to terrorists. As far as we know, lasers are not the terrorists' weapon of choice. Nor is there any evidence that these incidents are terrorists practicing for use of other weapons, as some have speculated. Unfortunately, most incidents have been linked to persons who have decided just for the thrill of it, to laser an aircraft."
Since June of 2008, people have been arrested and charged in cases in Ohio, Texas, Florida, California and Massachusetts in which the lasers have been shined into the cockpit windows of aircraft in flight. The green laser pointers, sold online for less than $50, are many times brighter than red lasers and are used for presentations and to point at stars. When aimed at aircraft, however, they are bright enough to temporarily blind pilots. According to one police report, an incident occurred when a suspect pointed a laser at a State Patrol helicopter while it was flying over Minneapolis. The pilot was forced to land the helicopter when temporarily blinded. Investigation of the case has been referred to the FBI. Officers should be aware that these incidents are both federal and quite likely state criminal offenses. In New York State for example, a person could be charged at the state level for Reckless Endangerment in a laser incident.
The Danger of Lasers
Although it is unlikely a standard, commercially available laser could down an airliner there is still a significant threat. Shaoul Ezekiel , Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor emeritus of laser science said a pulse laser that emits a short burst of light is especially dangerous because there's no chance for pilots to look away. "For pulse lasers, you haven't got a chance," Ezekiel said. "All it takes is one blast and it's too late." Putting louvers on the windscreen could reduce the probability that a laser would blind a pilot, he said. John Nance, a former pilot and aviation safety consultant, said military-grade lasers can actually punch through the back of the retina and kill the victim by causing a cerebral hemorrhage. Nance said he is concerned that some of the recent laser incidents could be terrorists testing laser equipment in preparation for an attack. "They'll be looking to blow out the eyes of a pilot," he said.
Federal Help
Part of the problem has been the local police and prosecutor being unaware of the dangers of lasers and more importantly, the federal assistance/support in such cases. A 28-year-old Bakersfield, California man plead guilty in July to shining a laser beam into the cockpit of a Kern County Sheriff's Department helicopter last November. The man will be sentenced October 10 and faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The man's girlfriend was also arrested in December and faces the same charges. Her court date is upcoming. This is the first such case that has been prosecuted federally in California. The man admitted to pointing a green laser beam that illuminated the cockpit of the helicopter, which was flying at 500 feet on a routine patrol. The pilot said he became disoriented from the laser and suffered pain and discomfort in his eyes for a couple of hours.
Be Prepared
The best way for local law enforcement to handle these incidents is be prepared. Develop relationships with local air traffic control and pilots and meet with prosecutors at both state and federal level to understand options and prosecute these cases for what they are: deadly serious.
