15 or 20 minutes!
Guy's dont get hung up about 15 or 20 minutes. The truth of the matter is what ever way you cut it the response has to be Bl+++y quick!
What most people don't seem to understand is that the clock starts running the moment the incident starts, NOT from when the Helicopter was requested! So if it takes 10 minutes to communicate the task to the unit, then you have lost at least half or even two thirds of that valuable time.
The usefulness of Police Air Support has always been dependant on its speed of arrival on scene. That is precisely why most major cities have until now had their own dedicated air support. - Because that is where the need is greatest. Range rings are at best an indication to the casual and uninvolved bystander, how far the aircraft can travel in 20 minutes. It should never be confused with its "effective " range which is much shorter.
The promotors of this woolly thinking suggest that the service will be better because there will always be an aircraft on call in the region. They conveniently forget to say what good it will be when it gets to you, when the incident started well over an hour ago and in any event the aircraft now needs refueling before it can do anything.
I am told that the whole original concept of air support has changed. The quick curtailment of vehicle pursuit in order to prevent danger to innocent members of the public is no longer a priority. Street crimes such as muggings and domestic burglaries are now unimportant. The purpose of Air Support is now to be top cover for set pieces such as marches, major events and other pre planned incidents. Plus of course counter terrorism. I fully support the latter but the others?
Air support has always been just that, support for the bobby on the beat. It must be as easy to call as the dog or scenes of crime. Thus it has always been, but tomorrow?
Tigerfish