The UK's National Police Air Service (NPAS) went live at the start of October, replacing localised police operations in England and Wales by using 25 helicopters across 23 bases.
It is estimated that NPAS will cut the cost of running air support by about £15 million ($24 million) a year. Key elements include centralised dispatch and "borderless tasking", with benefits to be felt in areas such as maintenance, training and procurement.
In the long-term, opportunities exist for police forces to make use of NPAS aircraft and potentially utilise a wider mix of types to introduce functions such as transport and reconnaissance.
For more on the National Police Air Service, visit flightglobal.com/ukpolice
Source: Flight International
