Police aviation in the United Kingdom

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Eurocopter EC 135 T2 providing law enforcement and medical assistance in the Avon and Somerset Police and Gloucestershire Police areas, based at Bristol Filton Airport..

Police aviation in United Kingdom provides the British police with an aerial support unit to assist them in pursuit, surveillance and tracking.

The most common air support aircraft is the Eurocopter EC 135T, which is equipped with daytime and night vision video equipment, instrument flight rules systems and radio equipment to track suspects and liaise with officers on the ground.

While most aerial units operate helicopters, some forces also use light aircraft such as the Britten-Norman Islander. A light aircraft allows higher and quieter surveillance, making it less likely that suspects will become aware they are being watched. A light aircraft also allows for longer flying time and lower running costs.

Operation

With scramble times of just four minutes for helicopters, or with standing patrols using fixed wing aircraft, aerial units are faster than ground units and can often be first on the scene to reported incidents.

Aerial units are often tasked to assist in vehicle pursuits. Air support allows ground units to disengage and follow from a discreet distance, hopefully making the pursuit less dangerous while still allowing ground units to be able to close in quickly as directed to apprehend suspects. Aerial surveillance also allows the police to anticipate the direction of the pursuit, and position ground units ahead of the suspect to block roads or deploy spike strips. Aerial units can also be used to efficiently locate missing persons.

Police helicopters can be crewed by three people; a civilian pilot, a police observer and rear police crew member. The pilot and observer sit up-front with eye contact with the ground. The observer is responsible for controlling the camera systems, and recording images for evidence in court. The rear police officer will assist in map-reading and strategic planning, allowing the pilot to concentrate on flying and the observer on camera control and visual reporting.

During an incident, ground and aerial units are able to communicate directly with each other, using the call sign of the unit.

Surveillance

Most police helicopters are fitted with a sphere shaped housing or pod usually under the nose of the aircraft the purpose of which is to support and stabilize two cameras using a gyroscope stabilization system. The two cameras are a standard “day camera” (a colour camera equipped with a powerful zoom lens) and a thermal imaging camera, which enables heat to be detected and is usually utilized during hours of darkness or in the search for persons in hiding. The cameras are normally connected to controls located in the cabin of the aircraft that allow the air observer to directly control them. They are also linked to a recording system and downlink system.

Force helicopters are usually equipped with a powerful “Nightsun” search light that is capable of illuminating a large area.^[1]

Navigation

A member of the crew, usually a police constable, occupies the rear seat of the helicopter. The primary purpose of this crew member is to relay critical information to police units that are on the ground. In the case of traffic pursuits, this crew member will provide a running commentary of the exact location of the suspect's car, utilising either paper maps or a computerised mapping and navigation system.

Communication

Police helicopters are usually fitted with radios capable of transmitting and receiving communications on their force's and other force's Airwave TETRA radio system. More recently, police helicopters have been fitted with a device that allows live video images to be transmitted directly to the force command centre by way of a downlink system.^[1] Commonly fitted to the underside of the helicopter is a public address system, known as “Skyshout”.^[1]

Incidents

• In 1990, a police sergeant was killed when a police Bell Jet 206 helicopter crashed in bad weather at Eastwood Toll, Newton Mearns, Glasgow.^[2]

• On 17 February 2002 the three man crew of a Strathclyde police helicopter survived a crash in an 18 month old Eurocopter EC-135.^[2]

• On 30 April 2009, the Surrey Police helicopter was put out of action by vandals. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/surrey/8050120.stm>

• On 8 June 2009, the West Midlands Police helicopter was destroyed by arsonists. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8088823.stm>

• on 10 October 2009 the Merseyside Police helicopter was damaged in an attack by vandals. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8300873.stm>

List of police aviation units

The following is a list of Police Aviation units in the UK and the forces or areas to which they are assigned.

The following forces have no full-time police aviation cover, although most will hire in aircraft when required.

• Cumbria Constabulary
• Central Scotland Police
• Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary
• Fife Constabulary
• Grampian Police
• Lothian and Borders Police
• Lincolnshire Police
• North Yorkshire Police
• Northern Constabulary
• Tayside Police

See also

• Air Ambulances in the United Kingdom

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Police helicopters in the United Kingdom

• UK Emergency Aviation Police Helicopter Information & Gallery

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