Helicopter (air operations unit)

Our yellow and blue police helicopter has become a familiar sight in the skies over the two counties.

Since 1979, when we became the first police force to employ an eye in the sky to help with police work, our helicopter has become an increasingly vital asset for officers.

It offers 24/7 support to all operational units, quickly reaching remote or dangerous destinations and giving access to areas which may be dangerous to terrestrial units.

With space for two crew and up to six passengers the brand new Eurocopter EC145 - which came into service in April 2010 - can get dog crews, search or diving teams and other specialised units wherever they need to be in minutes rather than hours.

If statistics alone are evidence of its value to the force, be it for tracking criminals, searching for missing people or even supporting Devon Air Ambulance when it cannot fly or when multiple casualties need transporting.

Our new helicopter is capable of:

• Two and half hours flying time;
• Searching an area 40 times larger than that of a ground patrol;
• Searching cliff, roofs and inhospitable terrain;
• Thermal imaging and scene illumination at night.

“We know the helicopter makes a difference, not only in life or death situations, but also in targeting crime and reducing anti-social behaviour in targeted areas,” said Captain Ian Payne, Devon and Cornwall Police air operations unit manager.

“It is a vital tool in searching large and inaccessible areas properly and at much greater speed than ground units are able to do.”

The old police helicopter flying over Dartmoor.