THE PLT OF A NEWS HELI WAS SO INTENT ON PURSUING A BANK ROBBER THAT HE GOT BTWN THE POLICE HELI; IN PURSUIT; AND THE SUSPECT.

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A POLICE CHASE DEVELOPED AFTER A BANK ROBBER DECIDED TO FLEE. WE WERE DISPATCHED ABOUT XA25 TO SEE IF WE COULD GET ANY VIDEO OF THE PURSUIT. WE LAUNCHED AT XA30. I RECEIVED A PAGE THAT THE POLICE HELI WAS IN THE AIR. AS WE PROCEEDED TO THE LAST KNOWN LOCATION OF THE FLEEING BANK ROBBER; I TRIED CALLING THE POLICE ON 123.45 (A FREQ WE USE TO COM ON (PREARRANGED)). I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE AND I TRIED 3 TIMES. BY NOW WE HAD ARRIVED ON SCENE AND THE ROBBER WAS DRIVING TOWARDS US. WE ENTERED THE SCENE AT APPROX 450 FT AGL AND MADE A 135 DEG CLOCKWISE TURN TO COME OUT ON THE L-HAND SIDE OF THE SUSPECT'S VEHICLE. THE CHASE CONTINUED AND MY CAMERA MAN SAID THE POLICE ACFT IS COMING UP AT YOUR 5 O'CLOCK POS AND LOW. I TRIED CALLING THEM AGAIN AND AGAIN; APPROX 12 TIMES. WHEN THE CHASE ENDED; THE POLICE ACFT CAME UP ON FREQ AND ASKED ME TO PHONE HIM. WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN I MADE THE 135 DEG TURN TO ENTER THE CHASE; I HAD CUT IN FRONT OF HIM; SLIGHTLY HIGHER. NEITHER MY CAMERAMAN NOR I SAW THE HELI. THE OTHER PLT THOUGHT THAT I HAD SEEN HIM; WHICH I HAD NOT. WE DISCUSSED THE EVENT AND DECIDED THAT I WOULD ENTER AT 1000 FT AGL UNTIL RADIO CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. I BELIEVE BOTH ACFT HAD TARGET FIXATION; AND HE DID NOT SEE HIM UNTIL THE LAST MIN. WITH ALL THE FLASHING LIGHTS FROM THE PATROL CARS HIS STROBES BLENDED IN. ALSO HIS ACFT IS BLACK AND SILVER AND IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WHEN LOOKING DOWN ON HIM. EVEN THOUGH I HAD BEEN PAGED WITH THE INFO THAT HE WAS IN THE AIR; BECAUSE I COULD NOT REACH HIM ON THE RADIO; I ASSUMED I HAD BEATEN HIM TO THE SCENE. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER; THE OTHER PLT AND I DISCUSSED THE ADRENALINE PUMPING AND TARGET FIXATION WHICH I BELIEVE AFFECTED EVERYBODY INVOLVED. FROM NOW ON WE WILL ENTER SCENE AT A MINIMUM OF 1000 FT AGL; AND THE POLICE WILL TRY TO COME UP ON FREQ SO THAT WE CAN COORDINATE.