News helicopter circling over police action area refuses to move.

Attributes
ACN	320618
Time
Date	199511
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : vny
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 275 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	320618
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Responding to a news report of a baseball size explosive device located in a warehouse, I arrived above the scene (at that time no law enforcement helicopters were present). For over 1 hour, 2-3 media helicopters circled above at 1500 ft. Police ground units did not close street below to automatic or pedestrian traffic. Contrary to far 91.137 the los angeles police department attempted to restrict the area to media helicopters from a 'nuisance' issue and not due to air safety. The los angeles police department requested media helicopters to stay 10 mi and 3000 ft away from the area. At no time was a 91.137 declared.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NEWS HELI CIRCLING OVER POLICE ACTION AREA REFUSES TO MOVE.

Narrative: RESPONDING TO A NEWS RPT OF A BASEBALL SIZE EXPLOSIVE DEVICE LOCATED IN A WAREHOUSE, I ARRIVED ABOVE THE SCENE (AT THAT TIME NO LAW ENFORCEMENT HELIS WERE PRESENT). FOR OVER 1 HR, 2-3 MEDIA HELIS CIRCLED ABOVE AT 1500 FT. POLICE GND UNITS DID NOT CLOSE STREET BELOW TO AUTO OR PEDESTRIAN TFC. CONTRARY TO FAR 91.137 THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPT ATTEMPTED TO RESTRICT THE AREA TO MEDIA HELIS FROM A 'NUISANCE' ISSUE AND NOT DUE TO AIR SAFETY. THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPT REQUESTED MEDIA HELIS TO STAY 10 MI AND 3000 FT AWAY FROM THE AREA. AT NO TIME WAS A 91.137 DECLARED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.