CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Police Department is expected to have a new state-of-the-art helicopter in its now meager fleet in time for the Democratic National Convention and officials say the price is right.
Duane Devries, the Police Department's Deputy Chief of Special Operations, said the department has desperately needed a new police helicopter for a while.
Chicago Police do not have a state- of- the -art helicopter, though one of their outdated ones has an upgraded camera.
Devries said the Democratic National Convention is buying the city an new $11 million police chopper that will be used during the party gathering in August.
"For the DNC itself- obviously used for surveillance above a lot of the sites and also used to detect if there's people on rooftops that could be causing harm...open windows, as we've seen, like in Vegas and other areas."
Sgt. Fred Harnisch, from the CPD's helicopter detail, said the chopper will have the latest tracking equipment and will be used over the convention sites and the city will keep the aircraft after the DNC is over, which will be especially good for tracking carjackers more safely.
"If a foot pursuit starts, those can be dangerous too, so we monitor, watch, record and keep an eye on people and they usually run and hide and then we just point them out."
The officers appeared before the city council Police and Fire Committee.
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