Aerodynamik - a glance at your profile doesn't say much but indicates that you may not have all the facts at your disposal. I would opine that your argument is also getting a little trite in opposing "change" per-se. Everything "changes" and most people (not all, I'd agree) try to change things for the better. To resist change because you think you've already got the best system and are too blinkered to try something new will have you branded a Luddite. Anyway, it's not change to consider Civvie Observers as there are already a number in circulation - the main reason that there aren't more is probably due to the limited financial benefits. All the pilots are civvies, a number are not ex-military, but in that area direct employment has been welcomed by many forces due to the significant savings.
Having done this job for more than a decade, worked with both good & bad Police Obs, and a few good civvies, I'd refer you to my earlier post - we're here to provide the best service to the team on the ground, maximising the use of the plethora of highly technical equipment and ensuring the most efficient use of the taxpayer's pound. If that means a more able civvie wins out over a less able copper, I'm all for it. It's teamwork in the air anyway and the guy on the ground doesn't care (or know, more often) who's in the air if he gets good support & also gets his man! That said, and as previously mentioned, any civilianisation should remain limited to one or two per unit, in my opinion.
There are some capable Policemen who can be trained to become capable Police Air Observers. There are also some very capable
non-Policemen who have already been trained (without extra hours etc) to become very completent Observers. Those who insist that the ONLY person able to be considered, for Police Air Observer training, is an experienced officer are deluding themselves into believing that they're better than they think they are - or are a little too keen to protect "jobs for the boys"?
For he, read she, etc.