Lakewood holds a special place in aviation history as the first American city, starting in 1966, to fly a law enforcement helicopter patrol. Lakewood's Sky Knight program became a model nationwide, showing the benefits of having "an eye in the sky" for the safety of residents and law enforcement on the ground. The program continues today, 49 years later, serving Lakewood and Cerritos in a two-city, jointly funded effort.

Parts for the Sikorsky helicopter used by Sky Knight for over two decades are becoming increasingly hard to obtain. So Lakewood, which manages the program, recently procured a newer Robinson R-44 helicopter to become the lead Sky Knight airship, shown above with chief pilot Sonny Maliksi.

The new, bright blue Robinson helicopter is equipped with state-of-the-art public safety equipment that the older Sikorsky doesn't have, including a:

• 'Forward Looking Infrared' camera to detect the heat signatures of a person or object, especially at night;
• moving map system for the quicker determination of a target location and improved situational awareness; and
• LoJack connection to help recover stolen vehicles.  More 

During the holiday season Lakewood Station is encouraging residents to call the station to report anything unusual.

"See something, Say something" is huge in helping them be proactive in stopping property crimes like home burglaries and people breaking into cars. Residents should call the Lakewood Sheriff Station's 24-hour business line at 562-623-3500 without hesitation to report anything out of the ordinary.

Deputies also suggest residents call to use the station's "vacation check" program. Letting the station know you'll be gone and what patrol staff should look for is another key way to keep your home and property safe. More