I think you can safely say that ANY force could chop its aircraft and the world wouldn't end..!!
Police work was being successfully carried out way before helicopters got involved.
Absolutely correct backtothebeat...
... and exactly the same could be said for all police vehicles such as cars & boats & motorbikes. Lets not forget successful policing can also be carried out without the use of fingerprinting, DNA & forensic science, tracking devices, radios and even mobile phones.
Dare I mention that the 'modern policing' era you allude to goes back to before the bicycle, perhaps that's also an expense too far
We could even go back to the days where a peeler was allowed to notice someone being in the wrong area at the wrong time, not
looking right shall we say, and being allowed to question that person as to why they were there, profiling if you like, using the coppers nose!
But then again, a top hat, tails, a whistle, and a clip round the ear is all that's needed these days to
"Make communities safer by upholding the law fairly and firmly; preventing crime and antisocial behaviour; keeping the peace; protecting and reassuring communities; investigating crime and bringing offenders to justice."
(ACPO-Statement of Mission and Values for the Police Service )
Or do the rest of us live in a different society to you?