Criminals can run and they can hide. But even if they do, Lexington Police have different tricks to find them. One of them flies high above the city.

The hum that criminals hear from above means their time on the run is running out.

Officers Don Evans and Steve White fly patrols over Fayette County. Evans says the department's helicopter is a real asset.

"Once were locked on there's really no where to go," he says.

Evans says the chopper is fully equipped to find the wanted or the missing.

"It's a set of eyes that you don't have on the ground and at night it's really effective," says Evans.

It's all thanks to a thermal imaging camera attached to the helicopter.

"They can hide in the bushes, it doesn't matter."

The camera shows a difference in temperatures, so a person walking around at night would appear as a glowing object on the screen.

Evans says, "It paints a picture even in a pitch black forest."

They can then turn on the spot light and officers on the ground can move in.

Officers say it's also a useful tool when it comes to finding missing children, or directing traffic during UK football games.

Most of all, they say, it's purpose is to keep people safe.

Officers say when you enter the unknown, it's good for the people on the ground to know they're not alone.