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Evening all, Just wondering if anyone has any direct experience of working for NPAS specifically as a tactical flight officer, I'm trying to view or understand the medical standards required? I figured I'd ask here before going to my own HR team to ask. Thanks in advance.

Police are deliberately not calling helicopters because they cost too much or take too long to arrive, potentially allowing criminals to escape, according to a damning new report. Full Story - Independent It's good that this problem is being reported by quite a lot of different news agencies, but it's sad that almost half of calls are cancelled because the helicopter would arrive too late. It's good that HMIC accepts that all NPAS delivers is cost saving and not a better service. Regarding coverage, about a year ago when base closures were announced there was an image going round on twitter that showed that lots of the country won't be in easy reach of a helicopter at all. Derbyshire police is considering pulling out of NPAS completely and I assume that there would be no replacement either (http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/police-warn-cuts-threaten-helicopter-824655).

Staff were bestowed with the 'Sword of Honour'. NPAS staff, who do not wish to be named, alongside Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson (far right) The National Police Air Service (NPAS) was presented with a prestigious national award in recognition of its outstanding contribution to aviation. The ‘Sword of Honour’ was presented by the Honorary Company of Air Pilots (HCAP) at a ceremony at London’s Guildhall on Thursday evening. This award marks the highest achievements and excellence within the aviation industry across the world and is being awarded to NPAS particularly for the part the service played in the emergency response to two of the UK’s terror attacks earlier this year. Chief Constable Dee Collins, QPM of West Yorkshire Police and Air Operations Certificate Holder for NPAS said: “I am delighted that NPAS have been recognised for their outstanding response to two major national incidents, one in Westminster and one in Manchester earlier this year. “The crews, across a number of NPAS bases and within the National Operations Centre, provided an unprecedented response and invaluable command and control of the incidents without which, both colleagues and communities would have been put at much greater risk. “Every day crews carry out remarkable work from a national network of 15 bases to keep communities safe and it is highly fitting that NPAS should receive such a prestigious award.” NPAS crews were recognised for their provision of sustained cover throughout the protracted duration of the incidents at Westminster Bridge, in March, and in Manchester, in June this year. Both of these attacks necessitated a sustained and unprecedented response from UK policing and from NPAS as a part of that to provide a continuous aerial view of the incidents as they unfolded. NPAS strategic board chairman and West Yorkshire Police PCC, Mark Burns-Williamson said: “NPAS winning a highly prestigious award reflects the outstanding efforts and work carried out in response to two major national incidents. “NPAS exists to reduce the risk to communities and during both these incidents an unprecedented response was provided to ensure the safety of the public and colleagues. “The response provided demonstrates the value of borderless air support provision to UK policing.” View on Police Oracle

Abnormal demand resulted in missed calls for police air support. The National Police Aviation Service has begun the process of requesting extra funding from the Home Office amid public safety concerns following recent events. NPAS strategic board chairman Mark Burns-Williamson and West Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Dee Collins, submitted a letter to the Home Secretary in March highlighting concerns around future fleet strategy and financing. Since then the country has suffered three terrorist incidents, the Grenfell Tower disaster on June 14 and disorder in Stratford on June 25 – leading NPAS to face ‘unprecedented’ demand with a need to provide continuous response. Helicopters carried personnel and did reconnaissance for up to 13 hours during the Westminster Bridge and Borough Market attacks. However, they can only fly for two to three hours at a time, so each major incident uses five or six of the UK fleet of 19. This means other calls for police air support go unanswered. Details of how many requests for air support had to be turned down during the London attacks were redacted from the meeting minutes. The Home Office failed to respond to March’s letter nor the follow up sent in June which Mr Burns-Williamson described as “unacceptable.” However, discussions have since taken place between Mr Burns-Williamson, CC Collins and Policing Minister Nick Hurd on the demand for police air support in the future. “With these plans in place, we hope to demonstrate both the clearly defined requirement to sustain current levels of service to UK policing along with the return on investment to both government, local and national policing bodies.” Mr Burns-Williamson said. “Consideration is currently being given to alternative models for the future provision of other areas of specialist capability in UK policing. The lessons learned through nationally delivering a 24/7 police air support service will no doubt usefully inform these processes and future direction going forwards.” The annual spend on helicopters has been slashed from £53.5 million in 2012 to £38.5 million now with eight out of 23 police airfields shut and the service centralised. A request has now been made by the Home Office for NPAS to submit a fully costed treasury plan for a new fleet by April 2018. A spokesman for NPAS who described the response and demand as ‘unprecedented’ added: “We need to start considering fleet and funding, clearly there’s a need there with an aging fleet. It’s a bit like cars, you can keep old cars running and they can pass their MOT, aircraft are a little like that – at what point will they stop passing their MOT?” NPCC Police Aviation Lead and Cambridgeshire Chief Constable, Alec Wood Combs, has sent a questionnaire to chiefs and PCCs asking their requirements for air services in the future and what NPAS needs to do differently. The results from the questionnaire will be used to support NPAS’s treasury plan. CC Collins, QPM and Air Operations Certificate Holder for NPAS said: “The National Police Air Service is groundbreaking and I’m very proud to be leading it. The men and women in our organisation seek to deliver support across the country to the best of their ability and in doing so, successfully deliver a professional service to every police force throughout England and Wales. “We have had some challenges in this but nothing that I would not expect as the first ‘pathfinder’ national policing capability. “We now have an opportunity to work with the Home Office and our partners to develop what the future needs for police aviation are and the resultant cost of achieving it. “What I am absolutely certain of is the service that NPAS provides is key to challenging some of the risks that our communities face." A Home Office spokesman said: “We want a modern and flexible air service, which meets the operational needs of forces and represents the best possible value for money for taxpayers. “It is for the police themselves to determine what air support they need and we will consider their plans once they are brought forward.” View on Police Oracle

A police helicopter base serving Cambridgeshire is closing - but residents will now see fixed wing aircraft chasing criminals for the first time. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/criminals-chased-police-aeroplanes-cambridgeshire-12758419

A police helicopter base serving Cambridgeshire is closing - but residents will now see fixed wing aircraft chasing criminals for the first time. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/criminals-chased-police-aeroplanes-cambridgeshire-12758419

Breathtaking images captured from the skies above London offer a glimpse of the capital as you’ve never seen it before. The National Police Air Service’s (NPAS) London branch has unveiled a gallery of stunning shots taken from officers and pilots throughout 2016. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/police-helicopters-breathtaking-photos-from-the-skies-above-london-a3425911.html

Shift: Saturday Coached Patrol Rank: Special Constable Length of Service: 3 years Planned duty: 1400-0200 Unfortunately I haven't bothered trying to estimate timings as it was such a busy shift we were here there and everywhere! Having recently got my driving ticket I like running coached patrol shifts for newer officers to help them achieve evidence for their PACs and SOROC (read SOLAP for anyone who isn't Met). I arrived before the start of the shift to get ready and book on and saw the two student officers who would be coming out with me and my oppo. We would be out in a Q car to help with getting some traffic process for the new guys. As they also needed an arrest each I also picked up a few arrest enquiries and a couple of taskings to help the Borough out. Once we were all ready to go, I checked in with the response skipper to let him know we were out and about and headed off to our first arrest enquiry. 2 minutes round the corner I spot a moped rider who was missing an L plate and texting whilst riding. A quick U-turn and lighting him up with the blues later we have our first seizure as the male was riding on a revoked provisional due to having racked up several points at court previously for no insurance - and you guessed it - he hadn't learnt his lesson and bothered to get insurance this time either! Thankfully recovery were pretty speedy (a complete god send as I know we've all waited hours before!) and we were back enroute to the arrest enquiry. Unfortunately our man wasn't there, but I did manage to speak to him on the phone and he agreed to arrange an appointment to come in and be arrested on Monday. Not the result I was hoping for, but there were some relieved sighs from the student officers who hadn't made an arrest before! We moved on to the second arrest enquiry which as we didn't have a home address for the suspect we were attending his work place, a kebab shop. Cue panicky thoughts about being cut into donner sized pieces of meat with that bloody sword they use to cut the kebab... We decided that my oppo and a student would go in first and the other student and I would wait outside just out of sight in case it kicked off. As they went into the shop I noticed a member of public walk out to take a call and start walking quickly in the opposite direction. (He didn't see us, but was looking through the glass at the other officers). The he started jogging... Then he started running...! For what was the first of many times that shift I gave it legs after the suspect, shouting for the other pair to follow as I ran past the door. We rounded the corner into the car park to see the male trying to reverse his car out of the car park. Whilst my oppo tried to open the car door I drew my asp and at the top of my lungs politely informed the male I would do significant damage to his motor vehicle if he did not stop immediately and exit the vehicle... Or something similar He got out and was cuffed and nicked by one of the students. Upon being searched a box cutter was found in his pockets and he was further arrested for points and blades. A good result all round and the first pair of officers traveled with him back to custody. I decided that I would give another arrest enquiry a try as he wasn't expected to be in and we were after some intel to try and locate him. He wasn't in, but his Mum persuaded him to come home. I can't remember the last time I'd met such a delightful and polite suspect. </sarcasm> After much failed negotiations to coax him inside for the umpteenth time he clocked on to why we were there and gave it legs into the estate. (Are you noticing a pattern here? I am definitely not a fan of running either!) Long story short, with the help of NPAS and several response units he was tracked into a hiding place a good mile away from where we started over a fair few fences! Another one in custody for the MSC Following that we attended a few calls and assisted with the night time economy for the rest of the shift, but it wasn't as comical as the earlier part. Safe to say we slept well that night!

A police helicopter went on a 40-mile round trip after reports of a cry for help – only to discover it was a goat and her kid. A member of the public dialled 999, saying they heard screams for help inside Cheddar Gorge, Somerset. The National Police Air Service helicopter, which is fitted with video-imaging equipment, was scrambled to the popular tourist attraction from its base at Filton near Bristol, 20 miles away. But, within minutes of arriving over the scene on Wednesday, the crew realised the sounds were coming from a goat and her offspring. The National Police Air Service, tweeted from its NPAS Filton account: “1205 Cheddar Gorge reports of cries for help. We located a goat and her baby believed responsible for the calling. We’re not kidding!” An Avon and Somerset Police spokeswoman said: “We had a call on March 4 at 11.08am. The caller reported hearing cries from the cliffs. Any concern for welfare is taken very seriously, particularly in areas where walkers can fall and injure themselves. “Our search and rescue team were in the area and checked the cliffs using video and thermal imaging. We couldn’t find anyone in distress. However, there were a number of goats on the cliffs and it is possible the member of public misheard. View the full article

I have seen this image circulating around social media. I haven't checked how accurate the facts quoted are but from previous information I have seen it seems to correlate. Looking at other information on cuts there appears to be a clear divide between London and the rest of the country. Cuts appear to be affecting everyone again apart from the people who are enacting them sat in their cosy westminster offices...

One-third of police helicopter bases in England and Wales could be closed because of government funding cuts, the BBC has learned. The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is considering plans to reduce the number of its bases to 15. It currently operates from 20 bases and there are plans for three more to be made available by September 2016. But the service is facing cuts and is considering a "15-base model" rather than the planned 23. 'Difficult decisions' NPAS was launched in October 2012 to co-ordinate the deployment of police helicopters in England and Wales, which were then operated by individual forces from 30 bases. It is facing funding cuts of 14% in the next three years in addition to the 23% savings already made by establishing the NPAS, the force said. The accountable manager for the NPAS, Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehouse, said: "There is no easy way to do this and difficult decisions have to be made. "A benefit of the NPAS is that we have a far greater understanding of the demands placed upon police aviation and how to approach 'borderless tasking' i.e. how we best deploy the assets at our disposal to improve efficiency and effectiveness even more." The NPAS has 22 helicopters and provides services to all of the police forces in England and Wales, including British Transport Police. The lead force is West Yorkshire Police. The 20 current bases Birmingham Airport, Birmingham Halfpenny Green, Wolverhampton Husbands Bosworth, Leicestershire Ripley, Derbyshire Carr Gate, Wakefield Durham Tees Valley Airport Newcastle Airport Sheffield, South Yorkshire Barton - Greater Manchester Hawarden - Flintshire, North Wales Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, North Wales St Athan, South Wales Warton - Lancashire Benson - Oxfordshire Boreham Airport - Essex Redhill - Surrey Wattisham - Suffolk Bournemouth Airport, Bournemouth Exeter Airport, Exeter Filton, South Gloucestershire http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31152569

A police officer has been suspended over allegations that he was using his force’s helicopter to film people having sex at dogging spots. Adrian Pogmore, 48, is alleged to have then taken the footage he collected home with him, according to The Sun. One source told the paper that he obtained footage of one couple at it down a country lane. Mr Pogmore, who is a father-of-two working for South Yorkshire Police, is believed to have split up with his wife, Lesley, 49, who then contacted police. A source told the paper: ‘They removed a disc and after interviewing him concluded that he had a case to answer.’ An investigation has been launched and, while Mr Pogmore has not been arrested, he could face disciplinary action or even voyeurism charges. A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: ‘A South Yorkshire Police officer has been suspended following an allegation relating to unauthorised use of force visual recording equipment. ‘The PC, based in Operational Support Services, was suspended from his post on Friday 5 December 2014 while the allegation was investigated. ‘The incident is believed to have taken place in 2008. A gross misconduct investigation was carried out by the force’s Professional Standards Department and found there is a case to answer. The officer will appear before a special case hearing in February. ‘The helicopter was being used at the time of the alleged incident for a legitimate policing purpose and was being used to assist with operational policing. ‘The officer was interviewed around an alleged breach of standards of professional behaviour in relation to discreditable conduct. A search was carried out at the officer’s address, with his consent, and no disc has been recovered. A second South Yorkshire officer inside the helicopter at the time of the alleged incident was also subject to a Professional Standards investigation. This pilot is employed by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) and his involvement has been investigated and no misconduct was identified. This report will be referred to NPAS for their consideration.’ The helicopter has a Wescam MX15 camera that can be used day or night. South Yorkshire Police website says: ‘It houses two daylight cameras and one thermal imaging camera, which capture video images that are then displayed on colour monitors within the aircraft. ‘The camera system, while the most expensive part of the aircraft, is among the best in world. It is used to search open areas, both rural and urban, not only to trace offenders but to locate missing persons resulting in numerous lives being saved.’ It also has a loud speaker system and powerful light with the equivalent of 30 million candles. http://metro.co.uk/2015/02/04/police-helicopter-officer-filmed-couples-having-sex-5048723/

Topic for all NPAS Chat Did you get a better service from your forces air support unit or has NPAS enhanced the service you receive?