Wagging Finger wrote
Air Support is a nice to have
I'm not usually in the habit of saying to strangers "You don't know what you are talking about" but for you I will make an exception.
The shiny new decoration in the offices is a nice to have, as is the glossy publication that is called the annual report on the performance of the force, as is the Equality and Diversity champion in each division, as is the gym equipment and spacious locker facilities and showers in the changing area.
Cars to patrol in, competent Controllers, Custody facilities and Air Support, like Dogs and Firearms Officers, are much more than "nice to have" parts of the job.
The money talked about as savings for this whole NPAS bollocks could be saved by a little bit of common sense instead of tampering with a system that works. As usual in the modern police service, careers of senior officers are being put before the safety of officers and the public.
Those of you who, like me, will be in a police office today, should look around, from the minute you arrive at the car park and think how much of what you see wasn't really needed.
We could have improved Air Support for less than the cost of Airwave, which is better than the old radio, but now most forces can't afford to use it.