Police helicopter added to city's capital budget

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Edmonton took possession of a brand new Air 2 police helicopter in September. (JOHN LUCAS / CANWEST NEWS SERVICE ARCHIVE)

Winnipeg needs a police helicopter to respond to mundane calls, not for dramatic Hollywood-style aerial chases, police Chief Keith McCaskill said after politicians tentatively approved the purchase.

On Friday, city council's executive policy committee allocated $3.5 million toward the purchase of a police helicopter equipped with high-tech features such as infrared vision and a GPS tracking system.

Although city councillors have not received a report outlining the rationale behind the decision, McCaskill said two police officers have worked exclusively for six months to study helicopter use by municipal police services in Edmonton, Calgary and Ontario's York Region, as well as by the RCMP in B.C.'s Lower Mainland.

Their conclusion: The Winnipeg Police Service should be able to respond to more calls if large numbers of patrol cars don't have to be mustered to chase down suspects at night, engage in high-speed chases or search for people lost in wooded areas such as Assiniboine Forest.

A single police helicopter in the air can free dozens of cruisers to handle more calls on the ground, especially at night, McCaskill said. An infrared camera and GPS tracking could achieve in minutes what might take hours for patrol cars to accomplish.

"The big benefit the helicopter is going to have for us is utilizing our resources better. When it's in the air, you're going to have the bird's-eye view to determine your resources," McCaskill said, addressing concerns a helicopter purchase is just a crime-fighting gimmick. "If you can cut the number of cars off for other calls, the number of calls in our queue drops."

McCaskill's comments should soothe the concerns of city councillors who were initially skeptical about the benefits of a police helicopter. St. Vital Coun. Gord Steeves, for example, said he fears Winnipeggers might expect too much in the way of crime reduction.

"This thing has a life of its own," he said Friday, after the committee amended Winnipeg's 2010 capital budget to pave the way for the helicopter purchase.

The way the amendment was worded, the purchase won't go ahead unless the Manitoba government provides new money to cover operating costs estimated at $1 million to $1.3 million a year. Even Winnipeg Mayor Katz, one of the helicopter's chief proponents, said he would not support the purchase otherwise.

The NDP government promised to cover the helicopter's operating costs during Monday's throne speech. But a spokesman for Premier Greg Selinger said the city and province are still working out the details.

The mayor said he was sold on the whirlybird once McCaskill made his case.

"I am satisfied this will be a phenomenal tool for keeping our citizens safe and also make sure members of the Winnipeg Police Service do not get hurt," the mayor said.

The proposed police helicopter would be staffed by two shifts and could be deployed within four or five minutes, McCaskill said. It could fly for as long as four or five hours at a time during busy periods, with one civilian pilot and one police observer on board.

McCaskill said he cannot provide assurances that a police helicopter will reduce Winnipeg's overall crime rate, but he is completely convinced the aircraft will help police manage resources more effectively.

"I do know, absolutely, we'll be able to redistribute our people a lot better," he said.

The 2010 capital budget goes to city council for consideration on Dec. 15.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Copter cash and more

City council's executive policy committee approved the 2010 capital budget -- a $431-million spending blueprint for infrastructure upgrades next year - after making the following additions on Friday:

$3.5 million to purchase a police helicopter

$3.2 million to increase the scope of repairs to Taylor Avenue to $5.1 million from $1.9 million and get the work done in a single year

$250,000 to help the Variety Club build a playground at The Forks

$100,000 for the Manitoba Children's Museum in 2011

$50,000 for francophone theatre Le Cercle Molière in 2011

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 5, 2009 A5