This is why a new police plane has been spotted flying over Sheffield

Police helicopters have become a familiar sight in the skies above Sheffield and South Yorkshire, providing vital assistance to officers on the ground.
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But new planes now being operated by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) have left many people who have spotted them circling over the city scratching their heads.

On the evening of Saturday, February 1, one of the black and yellow aircraft was seen above Walkley and Shirecliffe, and the following Friday, one was spotted over Killamarsh, where there was also a heavy police presence on the ground.

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South Yorkshire Police has now revealed that it called on the NPAS to help on the Saturday with what it said were a ‘range of operational duties, which included concerns for the welfare of an individual’, with the force saying it was unable to provide further details.

The new National Police Air Service (NPAS) planes, which are joining the existing fleet of helicopters in assisting forces across England and Wales (pic: NPAS)The new National Police Air Service (NPAS) planes, which are joining the existing fleet of helicopters in assisting forces across England and Wales (pic: NPAS)
The new National Police Air Service (NPAS) planes, which are joining the existing fleet of helicopters in assisting forces across England and Wales (pic: NPAS)

Derbyshire Constabulary has yet to release any information about the Killamarsh operation.

The police planes have gone into service with little publicity but an NPAS spokesman said it had two planes, G-POLZ and G-POLX, which were flying in support of Tactical Flight Officer line training activities.

“In addition, they have completed over 30 operational tasks across several forces. Operational tasks included missing person searches, tracker (stolen vehicle), firearms, public order and more,” he added.

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“Work continues to bring fixed-wing into full operation resulting in a blended fleet (helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft). As this work continues it is likely that the public will see more of the fixed-wing aircraft.”

The new planes were delivered to the UK in April and June last year, at which stage police said work was underway for all four aircraft to achieve ‘air worthiness and police operational certification’ – a process police said was expected to take several months – before they could begin flying in support of police forces in England and Wales.

Police said then that once the planes were ready for service they would be deployed from the NPAS’ Doncaster base and would join the existing fleet of helicopters which fly from 13 other NPAS bases.