Don't move Police 'chopper', says MP

An MP has criticised plans to move a police helicopter that covers the Bristol area from Filton to Wiltshire.

Filton and Bradley Stoke MP Jack Lopresti said the proposal to take the helicopter to RAF Colerne could lead to an increase in crime in Bristol because of the longer flying time to deal with incidents.

He has now laid down a Parliamentary Question to the Home Secretary the Rt Hon Theresa May MP about the issue.

The Tory MP said: "The helicopter is based less than three minutes' flying time from Bristol, so that it can react to any serious crime in the city and the surrounding area. 

Until the creation of the Western Counties Air Operations Unit, the area suffered high levels of vehicle crime, vehicle pursuits and on-street crime such as ram raiding.  The presence of the helicopter, within a few minutes, has markedly reduced that.

The proposal to close the unit at Filton and move it to RAF Colerne in Wiltshire will have a very serious effect on the helicopter's ability to reach incidents in the local area in an acceptable time scale.  I have asked the Secretary of State to assess the implications and to think again.

The flying time alone from RAF Colerne is approaching 20 minutes, leaving nothing at all to allow for communication difficulties and start-up times.

I would submit that the proposals will make the helicopter's ability to provide any meaningful service to Bristol almost impossible and could lead to an increase in crime in the Avon, Somerset and Gloucester areas.

By Ian Onions political editor at the Bristol Evening Post

For full story see http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Don-t-police-chopper-says-MP/article-2897662-detail/article.html

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