Annual report shows police helicopter spent less time in the sky in 2016

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This article was published 29/05/2017 (3407 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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City police say their AIR1 helicopter is vital and saves money and lives, but critics wonder if the expensive eye in the sky is earning its keep.

At a news conference Monday, the Winnipeg Police Service issued the 2016 annual report on its flight operations unit, showing a 27 per cent decrease in its use from 2015 — the result of a "catastrophic failure" of its infrared high-definition camera last August, Insp. Jon Lutz said. A loaner was used until it was replaced in December at a cost of $483,370.

Having AIR1 is like having access to a medical MRI device, Lutz said.

"It’s expensive, and many in the community will never need one," Lutz said, referring to its $1.9-million operating budget.

"At some point, you or I may need it to save someone’s life," Lutz said before showing video clips from Air1. One example showed police tracking down someone whose family was concerned they might harm themself. The helicopter located their vehicle outside the city in a forested area, and help was dispatched. Other clips showed the heat-sensing camera tracking suspects on foot and in vehicles trying to evade police. Having an eye in the sky is saving money by helping to find and apprehend people more quickly and safely, said Lutz, divisional commander of operational support for specialty units.

 

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But other than anecdotal examples, the police review of Air1 doesn’t provide any cost-benefit analysis, said criminologist Steven Kohm.

"I have the same conversation with my relatives: ‘If it saves one life, isn’t it worth it?’ Unfortunately, that isn’t a very reasonable or rational metric to assess whether or not it’s good value for the money," said Kohm, a professor at the University of Winnipeg.

"It’s the same old case, with police arguing that ‘It has value that the public can’t see — they don’t understand it’s part of an integrated approach’ — that kind of thing."

The question of whether or not it’s worth the cost of running Air1 — nearly $2,600 an hour for every hour it was operational in 2016 — hasn’t been answered, Kohm said.

"It does seem to be a lot of money for something that isn’t in the air a lot," said Kohm. "I don’t think the police have done a really good job (of providing empirical evidence) of what value it adds to the department."

Kohm said the city is experiencing "a real crunch."

"Infrastructure is crumbling, and a huge proportion of tax dollars are going to emergency services. The helicopter really seems like an expense that seems hard to justify given the scarcity of dollars," he said.

The future of Air1 was put in doubt last year when the former NDP government announced it wanted an independent operational review to ensure taxpayers are getting good value from it. The Pallister government committed to ensuring the review takes place.

The helicopter — an EC120B from Eurocopter Canada — was publicly unveiled in December 2010 and cost the Winnipeg Police Service $3.5 million. It also receives funding from the City of Winnipeg, but the province covers the operating cost each year.

The province would only say Monday it’s up to the City of Winnipeg to decide how its funding for public safety is spent.

“We are continuing to provide significant and appropriate funding support to municipalities that is sustainable," a spokeswoman for Indigenous and Municipal Relations Minister Eileen Clarke said.

"Budget 2017 includes a strong provincial commitment to support municipal operating expenses, including public safety," Caitlin MacGregor said by email. "Overall funding to Winnipeg for public safety will continue at the same level as last year ($24 million). Under our new ‘basket funding’ approach, the city will have more choice in how to allocate funding to respond to local and emerging needs rather than constraining the city to specific activities.”

When asked to weigh in on whether or not AIR1 is worth the cost, the new chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board refused, saying his opinion doesn’t matter at this stage.

"We’re very early in the budget process, and what matters more to me is what the police service thinks about Air1 in the context of the totality of its budget and the strategic plan of the board and service that reflects community needs and values," David Asper said by email. "I suspect it’s something that may evolve over the duration of the budget process. Today’s news doesn’t lead me to any conclusion."

As a criminologist, Kohm said he wonders if the nearly $2 million spent on Air1 could be better spent on other initiatives.

"At the operational level, they could hire another civilian analyst to help police target resources more strategically in terms of reducing crime," said Kohm.

Kohm says more questions need to be asked, such as, "What actually prevents crime?" He said the province and the city need to work together on a strategy.

"The province is freezing funding to neighbourhood-renewal organizations that give youth a place to go and meaningful engagement with the labour force — it should all be seen as part of a strategy," said Kohm.

"We’ve invested heavily in more boots on the street," Kohm said. "Some tough questions need to be asked about the helicopter," he asked. "A lot is based on common sense, and people just assume that it’s doing a good thing," he said.

"I’m skeptical, like everyone else here who pays taxes," Kohm said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

 

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