Paarmo
Who do you think taught police observers in the first place whan air support evolved....Answer experienced police officers who transfered their policing skills from the ground to the air......trial, error and experience over the years has meant that skills are enhanced. Working groups set up to share skills....Infact I think you will find that it was police officers that told big companies like eurocopter what they wanted and got them to build and redesign a helicopter around police officers needs. Not the other way round.
So rather than the chicken or the egg argument. Just realise that police officers started it all off and have evolved air support over the years to what they do today.
If a civvie observer is to be recruited who do you think will train them..Police officers. Why do you think there are not more of them..because a recent study throught out the whole of the UK revealed that it IS NOT cost effective.
A top whack civvie with all their add ons and travelling, weekend working, shift allowance is around 45k a year.....quite alot more than a bobbie....
It would be interesting to find out what your line of work is and to put the same "can any one else do your job on the cheap" question to you.