Police join new service for ’copters (From Witney Gazette)
Get involved: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting 'OXFORD NEWS' to 80360 or email
Police join new service for ’copters
9:30am Monday 1st October 2012 in News
THAMES Valley Police has today joined a new joint police helicopter service.
By 2015, the National Police Air Service (NPAS) will deliver round-the-clock air support to all police forces in England and Wales.
As part of the service Oxfordshire’s police will be sent the nearest available helicopter, wherever it is stationed.
Before, if any of the South East Air Support Unit’s helicopters were unavailable, there was no back-up plan in place.
The new scheme will cost less than the previous operation and helicopters will be able to reach anywhere in the region within 20 minutes.
Helicopters will be based at RAF Benson , Bournemouth Airport and in Surrey.
Assistant Chief Constable John Campbell said: “The National Police Air Service will be a strong, operationally resilient service and will come at less cost to the taxpayer.
“This is another step towards a more joined-up approach to policing and will ensure continuity in the quality of air support across all forces.”
Wiltshire Police is set to be the final force to join the NPAS in January 2015.
