"NPAS is the 1st Truly National Police Collaboration, created under lead force model, and is widely regarded as a major accomplishment."
What a total load of Horlicks that statement is! The 27 odd forces that comprised UK Police Aviation, prior to NPAS were a far more efficient delivery machine to the bobby on the beat than NPAS could ever hope to be. The model for UK Police air units was well understood and practised Nationally, subject to Home Office inspections, and staffed by enthusiastic and dedicated UEO's and unit members. Whilst it must be admitted there were some gaps in coverage, generally speaking coverage was good and response times effective. The co-operation between units was also good and UEO's were in almost daily contact with each other, in order to provide best possible coverage.
Then came along NPAS. We hoped that it would increase efficiency but instead it did just the opposite. The bases and the fleet were cut to the bone and the life blood of enthusiasm strangled. Instead of the highly motivated UEO's managers were no longer driven by a desire to catch criminals, but more about their own career tick in the boxes.
UK Police Aviation, once one of the best in the world became a joke, - a very sad joke. It wasn't the guys that made up the crews, - it was the top level management! I true modern disaster an example of how to turn something that worked well into something that didn't!
TF