Police aviation service providing air support in England and Wales
National Police Air Service
Active
1 October 2012–present
Country
United Kingdom
Type
Police aviation
Operations jurisdiction
England and Wales
Headquarters
West Yorkshire Police Operations Centre, Wakefield, England
Abbreviation
NPAS
Equipment
Aircraft
Airbus Helicopters H135 Airbus Helicopters H145 Vulcanair P68R
Website
www.npas.police.uk
The National Police Air Service (NPAS) is a police aviation service that provides centralised air support to the 43
territorial police forces in England and Wales, as well as the three special police forces serving that area.[1] It replaced the previous structure whereby police forces operated their own helicopters, either individually or in small consortia (such as the South East Air Support Unit).[2] The project was coordinated by Alex Marshall (the then Chief Constable of Hampshire Police).[3] West Yorkshire Police is the lead force,[3] and the service is coordinated from the NPAS Operations Centre, at Wakefield, West Yorkshire.[4]
The future of NPAS in its current form is in some doubt. In June 2021 the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, gave formal notice to end West Yorkshire Police's responsibilities as the leading force for NPAS. At a meeting of the National Strategic Board found the levels of availability for the fleet were suboptimal and that police forces which fund NPAS were seeing financial challenges.[5]
^"National Police Air Service | West Yorkshire Police". www.westyorkshire.police.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
^"New plans for a national police air service". Association of Chief Police Officers. 26 October 2010. Archived from the original on 4 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
^ ab"Press Release: National Police Air Service is launched". Association of Chief Police Officers. 1 October 2012. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 1 October 2012.
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