A POLICE helicopter will continue to be based at Filton Airfield, the Avon and Somerset force has confirmed.
The aircraft covering the Bristol area had been earmarked for a move to Wiltshire when the constabulary joins the National Police Air Service next year.
But the constabulary has now announced that a helicopter will continue to be based in Filton, home to the Avon and Somerset aircraft for the past 17 years. It was agreed that Filton would provide the best operational base for the aircraft in order to cover Avon and Somerset and neighbouring constabularies.
The force's assistant chief constable Rod Hansen said: "There are sound operational reasons for using Filton as a base and I am confident that we will continue to have a fast, reliable and effective air service in Avon and Somerset and the wider region."
There were plans last year to have police helicopters covering the Avon and Somerset patch based at RAF Colerne in Wiltshire and in South Wales.
But Chief Constable Alex Marshall, who will lead the NPAS, was persuaded to keep the base in South Gloucestershire following discussions held in recent months.
Avon and Somerset will become part of the south-west region of the NPAS in July next year. The new national service will reduce the number of police helicopters from 32 to 22, pooled across England and Wales, flying out of 22 bases rather than 30.
Avon and Somerset police currently shares air operations with Gloucestershire under the name Western Counties Air Operations Unit, but the new arrangement would also include aircraft being made available to Wiltshire Constabulary.
Avon and Somerset would give up its existing helicopter but would have use of the newer, pooled aircraft, and will not be liable for the cost of repairing or replacing them, at up to £6 million a time. This is expected to save the force up to £220,000 per year.
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