UK Police helicopter budget cuts
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Breaking news
NPAS have managed to secure the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, this will then be used to purchase a number of Flying Monkeys being held in Chester zoo since the end of filming 'The wizard of Oz'
Following in depth meeting in the middle East it has been confirmed that as of April 2012 all police officers will be issued a magic lamp, when rubbed the ASU Genie will appear and ask how we can be of assistance. The Genie and only the Genie will then contact the control room where 'The Chuckle Brothers' have been employed. They will then adopt the 'To you, to me!' deployment method where the aircraft will fly back and forth and achieve very little.
During a session on a OuiJa board Mike Read was contacted and asked to assist with decision for locating the units. These were confirmed by the UEOs standing in a line, Mike asking them where they want to be, followed by him shouting...'RUN AROUND.......GO!' The UEOS then ran to where they wanted to be and those deemed to be in the wrong location were 'Binned'
I'll keep you all informed of any future developments
NPAS have managed to secure the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, this will then be used to purchase a number of Flying Monkeys being held in Chester zoo since the end of filming 'The wizard of Oz'
Following in depth meeting in the middle East it has been confirmed that as of April 2012 all police officers will be issued a magic lamp, when rubbed the ASU Genie will appear and ask how we can be of assistance. The Genie and only the Genie will then contact the control room where 'The Chuckle Brothers' have been employed. They will then adopt the 'To you, to me!' deployment method where the aircraft will fly back and forth and achieve very little.
During a session on a OuiJa board Mike Read was contacted and asked to assist with decision for locating the units. These were confirmed by the UEOs standing in a line, Mike asking them where they want to be, followed by him shouting...'RUN AROUND.......GO!' The UEOS then ran to where they wanted to be and those deemed to be in the wrong location were 'Binned'
I'll keep you all informed of any future developments
J.A.F.O. The number of posts against your name suggests that you must have a great deal of experience, and I will defer to that.
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DFD
Not so sure about the 'happy and rejoicing' and if you know my future (in ASUs) beyond next year then you know more than me or my boss. Between now and then I'll 'plod' along taking each shift as it comes.
JAFO
Thanks for the support, some on here are really a bit too quick to start typing before engaging the thinking organ and attacking others.
WH06
If we had a chat you'd find my concerns are very much in line with all of those you and Sid have listed, I just don't think line managers have the answers yet but are working on them. The only bit you left out of my post when quoting me was the most important bit "given the obvious limitations"
Not so sure about the 'happy and rejoicing' and if you know my future (in ASUs) beyond next year then you know more than me or my boss. Between now and then I'll 'plod' along taking each shift as it comes.
JAFO
Thanks for the support, some on here are really a bit too quick to start typing before engaging the thinking organ and attacking others.
WH06
If we had a chat you'd find my concerns are very much in line with all of those you and Sid have listed, I just don't think line managers have the answers yet but are working on them. The only bit you left out of my post when quoting me was the most important bit "given the obvious limitations"
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AoF - I'd have to add my two-pennyworth of support for your balanced & considered views. Sadly there are too many on this forum who would, in other walks of life, be regarded as NIMBYs, but who should maybe consider more closely how things might be done better, or at less cost - as this is what NPAS is all really about . . . and has been since investigations were first started in Jan '10, with OD & RW going round the country, visiting all Forces & ASUs.
A level of introspection; consideration for the way things are done by other units / regions / areas; and a general appreciation of the sh*t state this country was left in by the Brown-clowns
, would possibly not go amiss, espcially by those who seek to vehemently justify their own existence!
Despite the support above, and as others (as well as I) have previously mentioned, I continue to concur with the views that the "new" service will NOT be an improvement in efficiency or effectiveness, however NPAS try to sell it.
A level of introspection; consideration for the way things are done by other units / regions / areas; and a general appreciation of the sh*t state this country was left in by the Brown-clowns
, would possibly not go amiss, espcially by those who seek to vehemently justify their own existence! Despite the support above, and as others (as well as I) have previously mentioned, I continue to concur with the views that the "new" service will NOT be an improvement in efficiency or effectiveness, however NPAS try to sell it.
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A o F
... Unless your base is closing,
... Unless you're base is moving,
... Unless one of the basics of how you operate, such as the method used to deploy you
( direct deployment - v- Central Control Room deployment ) is changing
If you're a pilot or observer the job isn't changing
... Unless you're base is moving,
... Unless one of the basics of how you operate, such as the method used to deploy you
( direct deployment - v- Central Control Room deployment ) is changing
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Isn't Rochester still in Kent?
10 minutes before they actually get into the county of Essex, that'll go down well!
They might as well cover the South East of London while they are there, after all that Met non NPAS unit are based in their county!
10 minutes before they actually get into the county of Essex, that'll go down well!
They might as well cover the South East of London while they are there, after all that Met non NPAS unit are based in their county!
Purveyor of Egg Liqueur to Lucifer
Like all the other units they will be part of a National Air Operation no longer Essex property. I think!
Anyone seeking 'planning permission' for the operation? I believe the residents round there are pretty 'nimby' after all the motorway and rail works of recent years! Sheppey would be a better base ;-)
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The North West region will, after the apocolypse, consist of GMP, Lancs, Cheshire and North Wales. The theory is that they will each pick up a proportion of the work that Merseyside would have covered. Clearly none of those units are as ideally placed to deal with the hotspots in the Liverpool area as Merseyside are/were from a response time perspective. Maybe that's why there was a police helicopter based at Woodvale in the first place! 
However, if I were in the central control room deploying an asset to a Merseyside task I'd look to Cheshire first. Why, they've only been operating one shift a day with an annual allowance of 500 hours so perhaps there isn't a lot going on in the Cheshire area and secondly, 3 of the 4 pilots previousy based at Woodvale will be crewing the Cheshire aircraft so their operational knowledge of the Merseyside force area will be invaluable.
However, if I were in the central control room deploying an asset to a Merseyside task I'd look to Cheshire first. Why, they've only been operating one shift a day with an annual allowance of 500 hours so perhaps there isn't a lot going on in the Cheshire area and secondly, 3 of the 4 pilots previousy based at Woodvale will be crewing the Cheshire aircraft so their operational knowledge of the Merseyside force area will be invaluable.
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Essex already operate out of Rochester and have done some for a couple of years. An office to operate out of, a pad, fuel, Easytask connection, kitchen.
I dont think they will be moving there permanently just using it as a FOB and staying at Boreham. When tasked in Kent they then land at Rochester and await further tasking.
NPAS will be a new name but ops normal for them, remember NPAS really means RPAS, Regional Police Air Support!
I dont think they will be moving there permanently just using it as a FOB and staying at Boreham. When tasked in Kent they then land at Rochester and await further tasking.
NPAS will be a new name but ops normal for them, remember NPAS really means RPAS, Regional Police Air Support!
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Glad to hear 3 of the merseyside guys will be at Cheshire, ops normal for them with the joy of a longer transit to and from the same old tasks.
Those that have been 'providing a collaborative service' to non aircraft counties know all too well how ugly it can get when 2 forces insist you're in the wrong place to be any use to them (then you tell them you need to return to base for fuel before getting to their job), at least on that point the NPAS controller can referee the bun fight!
Those that have been 'providing a collaborative service' to non aircraft counties know all too well how ugly it can get when 2 forces insist you're in the wrong place to be any use to them (then you tell them you need to return to base for fuel before getting to their job), at least on that point the NPAS controller can referee the bun fight!
It does not include anything that is new but CC Hampshire Alex Marshall the ACPO Lead on Air Support has broken the silence with an article on Police Oracle.
UK Police News - In Focus: Airborne Futures | Police Oracle
UK Police News - In Focus: Airborne Futures | Police Oracle
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In order to effectively deploy assets under this system, it is essential to have a national dispatch function. Under the NPAS, this centre would receive requests for an aircraft and the nearest aircraft available would be deployed.
Once dispatched the aircraft would then fall under the command and control of the local force command and control centre, allowing local management of the incident in a similar manner as is currently used.
Once dispatched the aircraft would then fall under the command and control of the local force command and control centre, allowing local management of the incident in a similar manner as is currently used.
Would it not be better to have a LOCAL dispatch "function" -
to benefit from the EFFICIENCY of a Police Officer needing Air Support requesting it
directly from the Air Support Unit who are best placed to assess viability and respond IMMEDIATELY when required,
but maybe with a National MONITORING function - for flight following,
and with the ability to suggest deployment of alternative aircraft when they are aware it might be more appropriate to do so ?
The problem is (still) that Police Auhorities are being fed stories by NPAS harping on
about how their plan will save money AND make the exisitng Air Support Units more efficient and effective,
but I'd bet they have NOT been told that in REALITY, the move to a National Control Room ( function ),
has the potential to make the service a lot LESS efficient,
with no guarantee that there will be any cost saving at all if the same level of service is to be provided.
"ACPO Lead on Air Support has broken the silence with an article on Police Oracle"
A shame the opportunity wasn't used to break the "silence" to the 400 or so officers, staff, pilots and engineers who will be the ones trying to make this project work - who, some 8 months after the great launch have still no definite, definitive or solid information to go to work on. Communication strategy? Nil Points.
Agree with Coco's summary - the one thing guaranteed to reduce effectiveness and increase response times is a central "Dispatch" system.
A shame the opportunity wasn't used to break the "silence" to the 400 or so officers, staff, pilots and engineers who will be the ones trying to make this project work - who, some 8 months after the great launch have still no definite, definitive or solid information to go to work on.
Communication strategy? Nil Points.Agree with Coco's summary - the one thing guaranteed to reduce effectiveness and increase response times is a central "Dispatch" system.
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Plans to maximise efficiencies and save money with the creation of a National Police Air Service have been progressing apace since the idea was first unveiled last year.