Police helo operating over London
 

Watching a BBC doco recently with the police helicopter chasing down the bad guys of london.

What kind of freedom do they have when operating? Have they got special dispensation to do as they please (within safe parameters of course!) or do they have to still request clearences into the zone when on a chase?

I vaguely remember one bit where the fugitive drove around heathrow and the helicopter was able to follow without a problem, not like that scene in "heat" where they lose him when he drives into JFK!

The police helicopter usually operates under flight category B, which has priority over everything apart from emergency traffic. However the pilots are very pragmatic and know when a particular detail is likely to cause disruption to scheduled aircraft. In this case they will do everything possible to minimise their impact on normal operations, such as flying at very low level or moving their operating area slightly. However the bottom line is that if a police helicopter really needs to be in a difficult place operationally, then so be it. Scheduled traffic is then delayed to accommodate its operation.

The police helicopter requires an ATC clearance to enter the London and London City Control Zones just like any other aircraft and the pilot must maintain a listening watch at all times. ATC transmissions take precedence over police transmissions. The police helicopter pilots are extremely professional and competent and know the airspace intimately. They are given "free range" to carry out their duties as much as possible, but there is often much liaison occurring between the various ATC agencies within the Control Zones.

If you can get your hands on the ANO, very near the front it says "Nothing in this order shall apply to an aircraft operated by HM Police" or similar words.

There's no problem getting hold of the ANO. Go here:
CAP 393: Air Navigation: The Order and the Regulations | Publications | CAA

There's a great deal in the ANO dealing with police operations but I haven't yet found the bit mentioned by renard... Perhaps he could provide a reference? Thanks.

This was the first bit that I could find

Part 5 OPERATION OF AIRCRAFT

Operations manual

38 (1) This article:
(a) Shall, subject to sub-paragraph (b), apply to public transport aircraft registered in
the United Kingdom except aircraft used for the time being solely for flights not
intended to exceed 60 minutes in duration, which are either:
(i) flights solely for training persons to perform duties in an aircraft; or
(ii) flights intended to begin and end at the same aerodrome; and
(b) shall not apply to an aircraft flying, or intended by the operator of the aircraft to fly solely under and in accordance with the terms of a police air operator’s certificate.

Also Exemption from Low Flying Rules, page 288

(e) Police air operator’s certificate
Any aircraft flying in accordance with the terms of a police air operator’s certificate shall
be exempt from the 500 feet rule, the 1,000 feet rule and the prohibitions on flying over
open air assemblies and on landing and taking off near open air assemblies.

Ah yes, thanks. I'm aware of that part but the ANO doesn't totally exempt police aircraft from the regs..

I think that I was a bit quick off the mark.