The skies were blue indeed over parts of the city Monday night, thanks to an off-colour conversation overheard from the Winnipeg police helicopter's loudspeakers.

Some X-rated comments were heard by people on the ground in a number of neighbourhoods where Air1 was hovering overhead while on a routine patrol.

"Does the #Winnipeg chopper realize the entire West End can hear their convo about blow jobs right now? @winnipeg311 #speakerphone #whoops," tweeted @natncello.

﻿That was followed by "the only other words we could discern were ... too much body hair," she tweeted.

At about 9:30 p.m. on Monday, the aircraft's public address system had inadvertently been activated, allowing the public to hear the crew's babble. The crew members were obviously unaware that they could be heard outside of the chopper.

Lynn B., who declined to give her last name, heard them use the "F-word."

"It was pretty clear and obviously a private conversation," said Lynn, who tweeted about the incident @likeflies. "I don't think I heard anything about a blow job. That would have been much cooler.

'Kinda funny'

"It's unfortunate but I can understand it. They shouldn't have been saying it and they shouldn't have been broadcasting it. But it is kinda funny."

Not that funny for the police, or the three members of the Air1 crew who could face disciplinary action.

"We are going to review the situation," police spokesperson Const. Jason Michalyshen said Tuesday. "I can assure that members of the (Winnipeg Police Association) executive are very much aware of the sensitivity and the nature of what was broadcast and they will be looking into it and making a determination from there. The conversation was inappropriate by nature, and we acknowledge that.

"We are extending our apologies to the public with respect to the nature of that conversation that was broadcast."

The unnamed crew members also apologized to the public, particularly those who heard the bawdy language.

The Winnipeg Police Association is prepared to stand up for the Air1 crew if whatever discipline, if any is issued, is deemed in appropriate.

"I wouldn't say this is a firing offence," said association vice-president George Mackelberghe. "Is it unfortunate? Yes. But whatever discipline is issued should be consistent with others in the labour world. We just want to make sure it's consistent."

The WPS is expected to announce its disciplinary decision once it's made.

Stephen Kernaghan was hanging out by the Manitoba legislature building with friends when they heard someone talking through what sounded like a megaphone. It took a few minutes to figure out the conversation was coming from the helicopter flying overhead.

"It was very bizarre. They were cursing quite a bit," said the 26-year-old English teacher. "They're talking about how someone only makes $600 a week ... We caught the tamer version which is sort of a shame.

"Everyone makes some dumb mistakes at some point and it's a shame when it's so public."

-- With files from Doug Lunney and The Canadian Press