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Police chiefs ordered to share their helicopter
South Yorkshire police Helicopter in Action
PLANS for South Yorkshire to retain its own police helicopter have nose-dived after the Government ordered police forces to share choppers.
South Yorkshire Police chiefs are against plans for a National Police Air Service which will see the county losing its own dedicated helicopter and having to share resources with neighbouring forces.
Under the plan, incidents in South Yorkshire requiring a police helicopter will be dealt with by choppers based in West Yorkshire, Humberside and Derbyshire, prompting fears response times will increase.
Policing Minister Nick Herbert has announced he will use powers under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 to order forces to collaborate with each other.
A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police Authority, which oversees how the force is run and performs, said: “The authority remains committed to ensuring there is an effective and resilient air support for the county. We don’t disagree with the National Police Air Service proposals in principle, but we require reassurances from Government that the national scheme will not reduce services.
“The authority will speak with NPAS to seek further clarification on this issue.”
Sheffield MP and former Home Secretary David Blunkett said: “I fear that the efforts to determine locally what is best for policing in our area has been once again over ridden by national diktat, despite the Home Office claiming that they are going to give greater freedom for local police services to make decisions.
“I’m sorry that what has been seem as a major contributor to the substantial fall in crime s now going to be subject to considerable bureaucracy, slowdown in response times and an inevitable clash between South Yorkshire and its neighbours to the south and north in prioritising the reduced availability of the helicopter.”
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Thursday 23 February 2012
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Drogo89
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:17 AMThe Police Helicopter does have its own twitter page which is updated regularly. The Police Authority also have a dedicated page which gives info on the current situation of the helicopter. http:www.southyorks.gov.ukSYJSHomePoliceHomePoliceHelicopter.aspx
Reason
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 11:21 AMThis decision is typical of this arrogant and autocratic government. It is also a retrograde step in modern day policing. i agree with most comments here, if the other choppers are already engaged in operations in another part of their counties, and is then required urgently in South Yorkshire, you have fat chance of getting it. Lets not lose sight of the fact that this aircraft is required to cover the whole of South Yorkshire, not just Sheffield.
ram1us
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 07:23 PMSYP air operations do have a twitter page http:twitter.comsyp_airops @syp_airops "271 22:50hrs Halfway - Concern for well being of male. Search conducted to no gain. Male later located in Derbyshire & taken to hospital" plenty of info and i do believe it is the wrong decision, the helicopter saves lives. Will the forced saving be given back to the force to employ more officers?
Sheffielderinthesouth
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 06:03 PMAnd you need to look at the cost of policing certain events without the helicopter and you would soon find out that actually we cannot afford NOT to have one! Missing persons for starters - A helicopter can search a square mile within a minute or so. A team of 20+ officers would take around 5 hours to do the same. Large scale protests, football matches, pursuits, catching the thieving idiots that break into peoples homes - Without having the chopper you would have to try and find money from somewhere else to fund the hundreds of extra officers needed to take on its tasks - which, funnily enough is not there. Unless you have a sound operational knowledge of what ASU's do then maybe post a constructive post, asking questions or stating proper facts instead of the one you just have?
1graybags
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 09:55 AMyou guys need to wake up and smell the kerosine, we can't afford the bl00dy thing simple!!!!!
Sheffielderinthesouth
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 01:41 PMAgree with posts 1 and 2. SYP need to launch a twitter page (if they do not already have one) which would let people know what the chopper does - which I can assure you is a lot! Post 2: We already have to share a helicopter where I work with a number of other forces meaning when one is down for maintenance then there is only 1 chopper available to cover multiple forces meaning we can never get it. Silly decision especially for a city of over 500,000 people!
lifeonmars
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 09:06 AMThe response times are not the singular factor here although this does impact greatly, with instead of Sheffield City centre being reached in 3 minutes, it will now take 12!!! What most people are missing, is the fact that the 'shared helicoptor' WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE for the most part, due the demand for its services across a massive area.
Woodseats Sammy
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 08:37 AMA ridiculous decision. Given the number of times the SY helicopter is seen clattering around, it surely must be giving benefit. Perhaps if the SYP web page had a link to what the helicopter does (like other forces eg Derbyshire: 'Helicopter helps catch 3 robbers') then perhaps the public would appreciate its services more, and campaign for SY99 to be kept aloft!
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