Helicopter Movement

1. How many times has the police helicopter been used over the last two calendar years?
2. For each call-out please state: Why the helicopter was called out/ what the suspects had apparently committed. For example if it is a robbery, it could state it was a robbery on an elderly resident in XXX town. Or a shoplifter believed to have taken a crate of beer from Tesco in XXX.
3. Please state how long each operation took and an estimated cost. If the cost is not possible then please state the cost for an average 15 minute call-out, and an hour-long call-out.
4. Were arrests made on each occasion as a result of assistance provided by the helicopter?

In accordance with section 1(1) (b) of the Act our response is provided below;

Questions 1, 2 & 4 please see FOI 2731 Helicopter

Question 3. There is no information held. The costs of Individual operations are not generally compiled. In the case of helicopter operations there are a number of variables that may or may not be included and quoting costs in general terms would be highly misleading.

Helicopter operations are new to Cheshire as we previously operated a fixed wing aircraft. A proper assessment of the costs are some way off as of the time of this request.