LOS ANGELES — Law enforcement helicopters routinely buzz around Greater Los Angeles. But in certain neighborhoods, they swoop in — low and loud. So say two community groups that are studying the effects of helicopters on the health of county residents.
"The higher the proportion of Black population, the lower the altitude of the helicopter," said Nicholas Shapiro, an assistant professor of biology and society at UCLA and director of the Carceral Ecologies Lab.
The groups are suing the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, saying it has not released records about its helicopter fleet for more than six months.
