Yme - you wouldn't would you....you are at the coal face doing what you do best, which is: "Policeing".
MaxR: Armchair judges - they pop out of the woddwork all the time don't they.
Let me remind you of the setting:
23 plus autonomous air support units going about their business, no synergies (to speak of) each 'group' buying their own kit, directly employing, contracting in, different pay scales, different standards, different strategies and so on and so on.
23 plus C.C's jealously guarding their little toy(s).
23 plus units flying annual stats with no efficiency audits (as they did many moons ago). No 'policing' of stats or Command and Control.
How long do you think that would have lasted - come the economic crash?
C.C's would sacrifice their toy at a given moment if they felt their purse was being raided by HMG - at the drop of a hat. I wonder how many ASU's would have survivied.
So someone decided that this couldn't go on - better that they consolidate - group together, because as united they stand a greater chance of minimising attrition. And so NPAS was born. Describe it as you wish, but I know for a fact that those on the SLT were prepared to stop at nothing (given their remit) to make the new model - robust and cost effective. NPAS is NOT the place to go if you want a history lesson on the way it used to be done. That 'way' was destined to failure eventually.
Do you remember when NPAS was suggested - NO-ONE, repeat, NO-ONE would volunteer to run it except for 2 of the 23 outfits. W Yorks grasped the nettle and hung on for grim death. In the face of severe financial and limited operational experience in running the BIGGEST onshore helicopter company in the UK, they managed to keep it relatively intact.
Fast forward 2 years - major efficiencies in purchase power, savings, streamlining, training it was then kicked in the proverbial by its Lord and Master and told to make further (14%) savings at very short shrift.
This is where we are today @ NPAS.
And you have the audacity to sit ther at your computer with your cup of coffee - and berate the efforts of your peers whose soul aim in (professional) life is to safeguard or prolong the future of police air support???
Pathetic little man.
If you want to look at what a burgeoning, inefficient, unco-ordinated and extremely expensive air support empire looks like, look at HEMS and AA's in the UK.
At the point of delivery they appear to offer a good service, but at what cost? If it was a private business it would go bust overnight.
People on here need to wake up and smell the coffee:
NPAS is/was the only solution going forward. Make no mistake. Police air support in the UK was never going to survive as we knew it. Please try and remove your personal feelings from this. NPAS is a business trying to run a public service. Double edged sword if you ask me.
These last cutbacks are sending a clear message to CC's - shape up or ship out, change is on the way.
Air support is part of a major sea change ongoing in the police world, where CC's should be very very afraid, Police super regions will be formed, IT will replace many processes. Technology will dominate (drones/cameras/data mining......PCC's will be replaced/removed! LESS is MORE.