They mean that pursuits can either be stood down or slowed down. Much safer for everyone.

They can locate stolen cars or plant etc with Tracker etc much quicker and easier.

They can search great expanses of open land (fields, marshes, mountains, forests) for missing/injured people much much quicker than many many people on foot.

They can be on scene much more quickly if cars have got to travel large distances and provide information faster.

They can provide a better tactical picture of what is happening on the ground, allowing resources to be better deployed.

That's just the first things that come to mind. There are many more good uses for them.

It's quite typical for Forces to "share" air support units now. Three Forces might pay for two helicopters and one ground station, which works out quite efficient.


KK

There are so many ways one can look at cost and value with them. A clear comparison is the one you've just done. Although it's not so clear when you consider pension costs and indirect costs - equipment / HR / training / extra cars to put the officers in etc.

What is harder to measure is when the helicopters turn up an absolute gem. For example, containing addresses with prolific burglars inside who otherwise would have got away. Them being caught and sent to prison = many fewer burglaries which has obviously cost implications itself. Searching large open areas for missing people saving many officer hours. It's preventative nature.

The list is a long one. It's an expensive piece of kit, but I think most officers would prefer it over the extra 10 or so officers.

all of that comes down to what's the point?

what's the point of chasing scrotes anyway? you know who they are 99.9% of the time, and even if you do catch them, nothing happens, so what was the point?

Once again, the news today is some report that quoted 2/3 of people sent to prison already have 16+ convictions and that <.1% of the population commit 90+% of all crime.

if they are anything like accurate, I would have though it was much easier just to target the 0.1%, and if you know who they are, why do you need a choppa to chase them round the countryside?

Just how many Police choppers are there in the UK? and if we work on 1 choppa costing ~£1.7M PA (that's what North Wales Police owned up to - approx £3,750 per flying hour).

Now, remind me again, how many uniformed PC's does £1.7M PA cover?

and just how many time do you actually have to look for a missing person by helo?

and whilst we are on that subject, just who is missing and where from? (I am dam sure if I phoned up the Police to report a missing person, they would not send up the chopper to look for them!)

as I said, what's the point?

you know who they are - it will be the same scumbag that just got let off/out of prison the week before, you know where he lives, just go there and wait for him.

Look, I would have less of an issue with this IF the outcome actually had something positive about it, but you know as well as I do, it's pointless, even if you catch said scote, the merry-go-round means they will be burgling somebody else next week.

As for the victims of said crime, makes no odds if you catch them or not, they have still been burgled, they have still lost stuff, the insurance will still have to pay out, we all have to pay more insurance costs.

I'm not sure if you've seen this:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/26/police-na...

Missing people are dealt with daily. They take up huge amounts of resources.

As for ' you know who they are'. There is a little thing called evidence.

It's already been said. You've got no Idea what you're talking about. But sadly, your level of knowledge is about the same as journalists and the Government. That's why we're fked.

the reaction to 'missing persons' stuff depends on the vulnerability of the person and the circumstances of them going missing ... misplace a child or allow a demented elderly person in carpet slippers to escape from their 24 hour care setting and you'll be sure of the full dog and pony show

What is needed here is a 999 report of Scuffers being bundled into the boot of a vehicle which then made off at high speed towards the motorway driving on the wrong side of the road, through red ATS, on pavements, through pedestrianised areas. See what resource he would like to deal with that.

There is a growing tide of regionalisation and collaboration between local Forces and this might actually change in the not-too-distant...

There was no need for police authorities other than to provide a steer on police priorities. IMO a bit of a waste.

Scuffers - yesterday and today I called the helicopter in for a missing person.

First a guy assaulted who had made off into open ground with head injuries.

The second a 6 year old who had disappeared whilst cycling on the same open ground.

So it happens often. HTH.

Admittedly both were found by other means, but by ruling out the open ground we were able to look elsewhere sooner.