Police fight back on laser threat

2 ANSWERS

1. Brett
   

   There has been a "phenomenal" increase in the number of incidents in which aircraft are targeted by small hand-held lasers, according to UK police.
   
   In 2008, there were 69 times as many such incidents as in 2003.
   
   The Civil Aviation Authority has set up a task force to respond to the threat of pilots becoming disorientated.
   
   The police have new devices designed to record and analyse laser "strikes" on their aircraft, tracking their source and leading to arrests of attackers.
   
   The BBC gained exclusive access to an exercise trialling these "Laser Event Recorders" carried out by the air support unit of Greater Manchester Police.
   
   Direct hit
   
   Laser shining in helicopter cockpit
   In the cockpit the light can be blinding
   
   "We had one yesterday," said veteran police helicopter pilot, Mike Briggs. "You're in no doubt when you've been targeted by one of these lasers."
   
   An "attack" can come from any of the darkened streets over which the force's state of the art helicopter India 99 flies at night.
   
   "You can't miss it. A sharp green beam of light shoots up from the ground, flashing around the helicopter, dazzling anyone on whom it scores a 'direct hit'," said Mr Briggs.
   
   The police have had to learn to deal with the attacks -- about half of those reported are aimed at their helicopters. In 2003 just three incidents were recorded. Last year there were 207. So far this year, the tally is 76.
   
   The culprits are usually bored youths, who have got hold of a laser pointer and amuse themselves by playing its beam over passing aircraft.
   
   But from now on they are far more likely to get caught, and get sent to prison.
   
   The Greater Manchester Police air support unit arranged an exercise for the BBC to show how their response has been stepped up.

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2. Guest8140
   

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