Millions spent on police helicopter 'unjustifiable'

Five south west police services are in a contract with NPAS

A commissioner says the cost of maintaining a £6m helicopter service cannot be justified.

Figures show that last year the helicopter or fixed wing aircraft operated by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) attended 1,650 incidents in the South West, including 139 in Wiltshire.

Meanwhile, police forces in Wiltshire, Devon & Cornwall, Avon & Somerset, Dorset, and Gloucestershire flew 4,163 drone missions, including 765 in Wiltshire.

Philip Wilkinson, Wiltshire police and crime commissioner (PCC ), is campaigning for the five south west police forces to exit their contract with NPAS and move to using more advanced technology instead.

The figures prove the millions of pounds paid by south west police forces to NPAS can no longer be justified, said Mr Wilkinson.

"NPAS cannot be immune to the financial pressures that all other police forces are struggling with.

"In the South West we had to pay £6m for that minimal service and while that was 392 hours under budget there is no refund for hours not flown," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service this week.

Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney said helicopters offered "speed and operational flexibility"

Mr Wilkinson believes newer technology should be used, and criticised NPAS: "It is unthinkable that outdated, Canute-like thinking should be allowed to hold us back from using new techniques and AI."

The former British Army colonel added: "Twenty years ago in Iraq, we were able to identify vehicle registration numbers from satellites smaller than the drone NPAS is testing today."

However, Chief Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, said: "NPAS provides vital air support to police forces across England and Wales.

"The value of the human eye cannot be underestimated.

"Helicopters and aeroplanes offer endurance, speed and operational flexibility that remain essential – particularly in rural and geographically diverse regions."