PAARMO,
I'm with Annoythemouse on this.
I've got twenty four years experience of Beat work, Traffic and Firearms, so when I speak to Police officers on the ground I know what their difficulties are because I've been there, I know what they can and can't do because I've been there. I don't waste airtime by talking drivel and asking them to do things I know are wrong/impossible. Find me a non ex Police air observer who has that background and I'll gladly buy you and them a drink and admit I am wrong on this one.
As regards inflating civilian wages, I don't think so, staff wages are calculated on many things, technical knowledge and skill being just two of the pertinent ones here. Many forces, my own incuded are going back to police officers in what were civilian roles for exactly the same reasons I've posted previously on this thread.