TC, Total agreement there. NPAS was doomed from day 1 by a home Office that quite frankly didn't understand the concept of Air support. They took the accountant's viewpoint that only looked at the bottom line, - how much it was costing! They chose to ignore its effectiveness in controlling and reducing crime, - the actual cost of which was a very serious drain on our national resources.
Then came the biggest Foul up in History, they chose to put in charge their own puppets to manage NPAS! Anyone who knew anything about what had made UK Police Air Support the success it had been was eliminated, - only the puppets that were happy to bow down to the new mantra of saving money at all costs, were allowed to stay. So that in a very short time the whole of the enthusiasm and understanding that had created effective Police Air Support in the UK, had been strangled. What was left was a mere compliant but ineffective rump of what had been there before. UK Police Aviation as it was. Was dead!
Until someone has the sheer balls to stand up and shout that the Emperor is naked, we simply cannot make any headway! I'm 73 now and over the hill, but for God's sake surely I'm not the only one willing to cry foul on this bloody disaster!
TF