Tulsa County Sheriffs Office patrols from the sky in specifically built airplane

TULSA, Okla - The Tulsa County Sheriffs Office has a new tool to help protect area homes from burglaries this holiday season.

It's small airplane called "The Talking Bird." It's built specifically for law enforcement. It has the same kind of equipment as the TPD helicopters: including cameras with night vision and body heat sensing technology.

It's owned and piloted by TCSO Reserve Deputy Roger Crow. He has spent the past three decades piloting for both the Tulsa Police Department as well as the Sheriffs Office.

Crow says, while TCSO has used planes in the past, this is the first time it's ever had access to a plane with this kind of technology, "It will do pretty much anything what a helicopter will do. But it only carries a crew of two. It can't hover and it can't vertical take off and land. Although it can take off and land with about 400 feet."

The new plane is a big part of this year's "Santa's Little Helper" effort. Since Tuesday, deputies have been increasing patrols in neighborhoods, looking for burglars.

As these deputies patrol the streets, Crow and his partner fly above. Our cameras were there on Thursday, as they provided air support to deputies in Turley as they search for a man seen taking Christmas presents from a home.

Crow says, "We have deputies that are in cars, saturating parts of the county. And we are the eye in the sky. We can get in and see homes that you can't see from the road. That's what makes this operation so much easier."

"The Talking Bird" will be available to patrol the county and assist sheriffs deputies when needed. At just $38 an hour, its considerably less than the $500 to $600 an hour to keep a helicopter in the air.

The small plane runs on regular fuel, the same kind that is used in automobiles.