The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Helicopter (Air One) is equipped now with the state-of-the-art night vision system. The FLIR (Forward Looking Infra-Red) camera is less than forty-pounds and mounted on the bottom of the aircraft.
This week Chris Clark with FLIR Systems based in Boston, Massachusetts has been working with Walton County Sheriff’s Office pilots Scott Thompson and April Hantzis. With military backgrounds, both Deputies’ Thompson and Hantzis are familiar with night vision technology. Clark points out the latest advances in using the hand-held computer device, which resembles a video game to control the camera angle.
FLIR works by latching on to thermal energy released by a person, or vehicle on the ground. The system has proven to be a tremendous asset during search and rescue operations during the day, or at night. It’s also used to locate a criminal suspect from the sky.
The Walton County Sheriff’s Office was able to secure the necessary Homeland Security grant monies to cover the 250-thousand dollar price tag. Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr. has placed a high priority on having the Sheriff’s Office play a pivotal role in the Regional Domestic Security Task Force, which helped pave the way for the awarding of the grant. The FLIR will play an integral role in saving lives, and help in the apprehension of dangerous fugitives.
[photo: Chris Clark of FLIR Systems points to the camera mounted on the bottom of Air One.]








