Police could expand drone use

The new National Police Air Service will be phased in over the next three years, starting today with four bases and 11 forces in the South East.

These are:

• Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Thames Valley, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

The bases will be at:

• Boreham Airport in Essex, Wattisham and Honington in Suffolk, Redhill in Surrey and Benson in Oxfordshire.

Despite having fewer bases and fewer helicopters, Home Office minister Damian Green insisted the National Police Air Service would provide a better service for the public.

"You've got one national service where the deployment will be more efficient and more rational and where the aircraft can be pointed at incidents where they're needed to be faster than they are now."

Asked about fears that the service to some rural areas will suffer, he added: "There will be regional aircraft available and the fact they will be deployed better and faster will mean that the service will be at least as good then as it is now.

When asked if the National Police Air Service service was simply a result of cost-cutting, Chief Constable Alex Marshall from Hampshire Police said:

"Its origins are to have a better service, better organised, and it was clear right from the start that it could be done at lower cost.

"The design of this came before any of the current round of cuts.

"It takes time to get 43 forces to agree and get all the arrangements in place."

South Yorkshire Police force initially refused to agree to the plans for a national service, and as a result the former policing minister Nick Herbert ordered it to take part.

It wanted to maintain a helicopter based in Sheffield, and under the new system has to cover the cost of that service by itself.

A National Police Air Service has been launched in England and Wales today to replaced the localised system.

The service will have 26 helicopters running from 23 bases across the country.

Chief Constable Alex Marshall from Hampshire Police, who is leading the scheme for the Association of Chief Police Officers, said:

"Artificial boundaries have meant that helicopters are restricted to operating within their own force area or consortia.

"A truly national, borderless service will ensure effective coverage of urban and rural areas."

In August, Campaign group Big Brother watch said in response to the National Police Air Service director, Superintendent Richard Watson's comments that drones are "part of the future":

In August, National Police Air Service director, Superintendent Richard Watson said that unmanned aerial vehicles are "part of the future".

Speaking at a presentation to the defence industry, reported by the Times, he said:

Some police forces have purchased or trialled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's) or drones with varied results.

On November 2011, a spokesman for Essex Police told the Independent that their drone had hardly been used after the forced decided it was not value for money.

Merseyside Police used a £13,000 helicopter drone fitted with surveillance cameras for four years.

During this time, the force said the craft was instrumental in a number of arrests but last October the helicopter suffered a malfunction and landed in the river Mersey.

A spokesperson said the force decided not to purchase a replacement due to "operational issues including staff training costs and the inability to use the UAV in all weather conditions."

The use of unmanned aerial drones police is a controversial subject, and some campaigners have warned that they would provide a "big brother" surveillance.

Weighing 20kg and less they are similar in size to a radio-controlled model aircraft.

Police may use them to monitor large public events, deter antisocial behavior or provide covert surveillance as part of a criminal investigation.

Police must only use unmanned drones as part of air support plans if it is both appropriate and proportionate, the Home Office minister, Damian Green, warned today.

Speaking at the launch of a new National Police Air Service which aims to remove force borders, improve the service and save millions of pounds, Mr Green said:

"Drones are like any other piece of kit - where it's appropriate or proportionate to use them then we will look at using them.

"But they need to be treated the same as any other piece of police equipment or police activity.

"They should only be used when it's appropriate and proportionate to do so."