New police air service takes off

[mhm]

A new National Police Air Service is replacing localised police helicopter operations in England and Wales.

The service of 25 helicopters at 23 bases, some not operating round the clock, is expected to save £15m a year as seven other bases are closed.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19781996

I saw part of this last night as Cheshire Helo was over Lancashire.

[viking9]

Hopefully it will pay for more police on the beat and result in the helicopters being used more cost-effectively.

I never could understand why they send a £3.5 million helicopter and crew plus several police cars to chase a scrote in a stolen car who then places peoples' lives in more danger by driving dangerously to evade arrest. Most of them end up with just a driving ban and community service unless they actually kill someone. And of course the speeding police cars themselves are a danger to the public.

Perhaps the Government will now be able to afford to give some financial support to our air ambulance services which rely on public fundraising so much.

[Anmer]

Valid points Tom.

Having watched a few of the "police chase" programs, it does appear that a large amount of resource is expended on an adrenalin rush for the boys in blue and little else.

[Roadrunner]

Yeh,

Lets cut back the helecopters and police and allow the scum to get away with even more than they do now. Might start leaving car unlocked so they dont have to hurt themselves breaking in as well......................

[Anmer]

Lets cut back the helecopters and police and allow the scum to get away with even more than they do now. Might start leaving car unlocked so they dont have to hurt themselves breaking in as well......................

The point is these "criminals" do get away with it.  The fines are paltry and a lot less than the cost of car insurance and tax.

Swinging on The Cenotaph gets harsher punishment.  It would be interesting to see some stats comparing the cost of the "chase" and the fines imposed, which is usually what gets handed out.

[Harpic]

Mike,
All very good points but you have to remember.
The Tv programs pick the chases to make the programe look good, and that's fact.
There are many cases of once the helecopter locks on to the villians, you ain't getting away so then the police on the deck, are told toback off for saftey reason and then the the eye in the sky quitely home's all their other officers in on the suspects.
It normaly is only the original pursuit car that carries on trying to stay in reasonable contact with the suspect.
It is becoming policy to act this way rafher then risk as you say the adrenlin rush of the officers that help towards causing accidents or damage to there own vehicles, just to siop the villians as soon as they get the chance.
How ever I do agree even with the original pursuit car still giving chase even once the Eye in the sky has contact, then this action can still force the suspect's to drive like mad men to get away from the pursuit car, so really still keeping the chance of a major accident happening.
What is wrong which I think everyone is agreeable on is the Sentences the villians get once caught. and that is just laughable.

Oh well time to get back to watching Police Camara Action.