By Catie Cheshire | Westword
Though most people have seen “speed monitored by aircraft” signs dotting highways across Colorado, few know that the Colorado State Patrol actually issues hundreds of tickets each year based on aircraft speed monitoring.
The Colorado State Patrol Aircraft Unit uses four state-owned aircraft to monitor speeds from above, then works with officers on the ground to dole out tickets based on measurements from the sky.
Any Colorado government agency can call upon the CSP aircraft at any time for “transportation for state business and traffic enforcement operations,” according to the CSP website. Services include transporting people and cargo and helping observe or take photos and video during law enforcement missions.