Private helicopter used by police
The police in Fermanagh have been chartering a private helicopter to back up security operations.
In a letter to Policing Board member Basil McCrea, Asst Chief Constable Dave Jones said a commercial helicopter has been deployed four times since April.
It has cost a total of just over £52,000.
Earlier this year the then Chief Constable Hugh Orde said the PSNI had received additional funding which would be used for extra helicopter cover.
The Asst Chief Constable said the decision to charter the helicopter is taken by local commanders in the light of their security assessments.
Dissident republicans have been active in Fermanagh and in July police took more than 12 hours to attend a robbery because of the threat level in the area.
The PSNI are understood to planning to buy a second helicopter in light of the continuing dissident threat.
Military
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Tom Elliott said there was now “a strong case” for a military helicopter to service Fermanagh and wider area.
“Undoubtedly we are living in dangerous times. Police personnel are facing a severe threat from dissident republicans, and I would never under any circumstances want to do anything to put their lives at risk,” he said.
“However, I feel I have to question the continuing use of private helicopter firms as I believe that the use of military helicopters would be better equipped and more cost effective for the operations carried out by the PSNI which require air support.
“I will be asking my party colleagues on the Policing Board to put this suggestion forward to the security officials and I hope that they will evaluate the proposal accordingly.”
Military helicopters were a common sight in border areas of Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
