MightyGem,
They had a pursuit and called for the helicopter. 15 minutes later, they were told it couldn't lift due to the weather.
Are you able to say precisely where that delay came from ?
Is it correct that "in the old days", they would have called Air support directly from the Traffic car, but no longer have the ability do so ?
Was the delay :
- at the Traffic Officers Local Control Room, who received the initial request from the Traffic Officer,
then had to transmit it ( by one of a variety of methods ) to the NPAS Control Room,
e.g. because they were already extremely busy dealing with the pursuit ( and probably other incidents too ) -
and didn't have the capacity to request Air Support from NPAS immediately, or,
- at the NPAS Control Room end where the Despatcher receiving the request from the local Control Room
has to assess the task request, decide that it suitable for Air Support, work out where in the Country it is,
work out where the nearest aircraft is, then contact them - believing them to be deployable, or
- due to the local aircraft not having updated NPAS control room
that they were not available due to the weather, or
- where only certain areas covered by the aircraft are not accessible due to the weather,
the NPAS Despatcher did not have access to that ongoing situation, or
- from the NPAS Despatcher after determining that Air support was not available,
in relaying that information back to the local Control Room, or
- from the local Control Room, on receiving the information back from NPAS, not having the capacity
to process that information immediately ( due to workload as above - they are extremely busy
dealing with the ongoing pursuit ) and relay it to the Traffic Officer ?
Why,
oh Why, oh Why,
does it seem that NPAS are insisting that Police officers on the ground
who NEED Air Support IMMEDIATELY, can NOT contact the locally based aircraft directly ?
( Remember that old phrase "a National Service delivering Air Support locally"
)
Surely when Air Support is needed IMMEDIATELY, as in the case quoted,
the air crews have built up enough of a reputation and expertise over the last 25 years or so,
to be trusted to make the decision as to
whether to deploy under NPAS terms or not, and on receipt of a Direct Request,
will still have time to consult with NPAS Control and obtain authority to attend, while preparing to lift,
but before lifting - and with NO additional delay whatsoever.
This would be an excellent, and dare I say it MORE EFFICIENT use of the National Control Room,
who may be aware of a closer aircraft, e.g. already airborne and heading back to Base, or able to divert from a non urgent task etc,
that could arrive on scene SOONER than the locally based aircraft attending from base.
NPAS control would be aware of the incident and request SOONER than if the request was routed via the busy Local Control Room,
and the local aircraft or a more suitable response, would be despatched more quickly.
In this scenario, if the aircraft HAD been available, it seems quite likely that there would have been
an unacceptable delay in the aircraft arriving on scene.
(
My personal interpretation of "unacceptable" being any amount of time longer than if the crew had been contacted directly ).
It is generally accepted that pursuits are
dangerous, and that the danger is reduced the moment Air Support arrives,
by allowing following Police vehicles to drop back, reducing "pressure" on the fleeing driver,
with the Air Crew being able to provide an overview of the developing dynamic situation ( oncoming vehicles, red Traffic Signals etc etc ),
to the Police resources involved, in addition to tactical planning of how to resolve the incident.
Will it take a(nother) fatal "Polacc" before someone hits the RESET button here ?
If such a tragedy should ever happen - Who might be held accountable in any subsequent Public Enquiry ?
