Art - Do you actually work in Air Support at the force "near you" that you are referring to ?
someone worked hard to find out which 250 hours were being wasted year after year.........
"Wasted" - is that a fact or just an assumption ?
How were the hours "wasted" exactly ?
I know of a force "near ME" that has been quite content to have their Police helicopter airborne
conducting pro-active patrols at identified times over identifed areas, even if there wasn't a specific task to attend to.
It's difficult to measure the success of such patrols - Is there a reduction in crime
as a result of the helicopter patrols or not, would crime increase even more withotu the patrols,
how do you measure the results of Public stisfaction in relation to such a patrol etc etc.
If, as a result of financial pressures and cutbacks, thsoe patrolling hours were withdrawn,
it wouldn't mean that they were "wasted hours" at all, and I would love to hear
more detail of what those wasteful flights you refer to actually involved ?
As for
Amongst its many requirements, NPAS requires statistics about every aspect of the operations and finances...
... it would be nice if they played the game too, and had provided the financial details for Forces to examine,
and make meaningful decisions on the implications of joining, before being forced to do so
