Police air support may halve

Mar 10 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

PLANS to halve the police air support unit in the North are being discussed by bosses from three forces today.

The North East Air Support Unit has more than 20 officers and two helicopters at Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley airports.

But the Cleveland force fears review talks today could lead to the unit being cut to just one Tyneside-based aircraft.

Representatives of Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria police authorities are among those meeting to discuss the unit’s future.

A report to the three authorities last month set out proposals to reduce the unit to one helicopter and argued that it should be at Newcastle.

But people in the south of the region, and those in rural areas, argue two are needed. Cleveland Police Authority chairman Coun Dave McLuckie vowed to fight to retain both aircraft. “We are especially astounded that this proposal should have come forward when just four years ago our colleagues in Durham and Northumbria argued that it was vital that we disposed of a fixed-wing aircraft and replaced it with a second helicopter. …

“It is without doubt one of our most valuable assets in tackling crime and responding to incidents. In some cases it can be 40 times more efficient than deploying officers on the ground.

“We do not believe that there has been any proper operational case made out for the suggestion of moving to just one aircraft – especially since it is clear that the intention would be to have it based at Newcastle.”

Durham Police Authority chairman Peter Thompson said no decision would be made without consultation.