The EPS put forth a proposal that would see a phased approach designed to keep the Air 1 program flying for the long term, which includes aircraft upgrades as early as 2015, and a new heliport within city limits by 2019.
The move of the helicopter program to Villeneuve Airport in November 2013 has degraded response times and the ability of Air 1 to provide a comparable level of service to previous years.
“The ability to respond within minutes or seconds has been a hallmark of the value of the helicopter to the EPS. That value is being lost as a result of the current location and aircraft,” says Supt. Kevin Galvin of the EPS Operation Support Division, which oversees police helicopter operations.
Between January and end of March 2014, the average Air 1 response time has been 9.4 minutes, compared to 4 minutes during the same time in 2013. Also, time in the air is down by 11 per cent and 16 per cent fewer calls are being responded to.
“The stats speak for themselves,” says Galvin. “We are not achieving the full potential of the program or being as effective or efficient as possible.”
From January to May 2014, the same trend is continuing:
- 145 calls were declined because Air 1 could not, with its current capabilities, respond to those calls.
- 32 calls have been abandoned and 37 calls cancelled due to Air 1 being low on fuel.
- 56.6 hours have been lost due to transit time from Villeneuve to the City, with the monthly average being 13.8 hours.
The EPS currently operates two single-engine helicopters, which provide critical core policing functions for the EPS. This includes managing criminal flights, traffic patrols, aerial surveillance, management of scenes, and assistance to other city partners such as Fire Rescue. Air 1 also has a significant regional footprint through its assistance of the RCMP, Sheriffs, and the Provincial Emergency Management Agency, just to name a few.
The Air 1 program increases public and officer safety and impacts our efforts to reduce victimization and combat crime. When Air 1 is used, property damage caused by criminal flights decreases by 89 per cent. Almost all criminal flights (98.8 per cent) result in suspect apprehensions, many of whom are prolific offenders.
“If Air 1 is overhead and on-station during a pursuit, it is a virtual lock that the bad guy gets arrested and held accountable through the courts,” says Supt. Galvin.
The EPS hopes to sell one of its aging aircraft next year and replace it with a twin-engine helicopter to improve the level of service. A heliport location within Edmonton city limits by 2019 would shift all Air 1 operations from Villeneuve into Edmonton decreasing response times. A second twin-engine helicopter to replace the second aircraft would be purchased or leased in 2019, improving the service even more.
The increased lift capabilities of the more powerful twin-engine helicopters would allow the EPS to work a greater variety of missions, such as deployment of tactical and canine teams to more remote areas and scenes in a faster way.
The EPS helicopter program also contributes to a capacity increase with the City of Edmonton’s multiple partners and stakeholders like Fire Rescue Services. Whether it is a large-scale, multi-agency scenario; a major event or festival like Canada Day; or a disaster response; EPS helicopter operations is a critical, core service that significantly impacts the day-to-day operations of police services.