A helicopter shared by Denver TV stations helped police in Boulder catch a shooting suspect Wednesday morning when the pilot flew an officer over the area where the suspect was believed to be.
Boulder police had requested the ride from reporters at the scene after failing to receive immediate assistance from Denver Police or the FBI.
According to the Daily Camera, “Less than an hour after the helicopter picked the officer up … [the suspect] was taken into custody without issue, thanks in large part … to coordination between SWAT personnel on the ground and the officer in the helicopter.”
A Boulder police spokeswoman said the helicopter was instrumental in the arrest, and suggested the situation also provided unique access to the news team covering the manhunt.
Boulder police thank Denver media for use of their shared helicopter during manhunt https://t.co/IcNbqIY4sz pic.twitter.com/tEIZEJnZK5
— City of Boulder (@bouldercolorado) August 24, 2016
Media watchers, however, have questioned whether it is appropriate for news organizations to assist law enforcement in the apprehension of suspects.
In the case of Wednesday’s helicopter lift, the situation falls into a “gray area” of media ethics, according to Paul Voakes, journalism department chair at the University of Colorado.
Clayton Sandell, a Denver-based correspondent for ABC News, said on Twitter: “News organizations should decline this request. Journalists are not agents of law enforcement.”
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