4:04am Monday 19th May 2008
By Dave King
WILTSHIRE'S new chief constable has expressed his concern over the threat to the county's air ambulance service, which the police share and use in operations.
Last week it was revealed how the Wiltshire Air Ambulance may not be used in conjunction with Wiltshire Police in future as plans are considered for a new helicopter to be based near Bristol, which will serve three counties.
The Great Western Ambulance Service is scheduled to launch a new air ambulance for Avon soon, based at Filton. It is understood that the police want to renew the lease for five years, from December 2008, to continue with a joint police helicopter and air ambulance. Wiltshire Police's chief constable, Brian Moore, said that both he and the police authority were worried by what was happening.
Mr Moore warned: "I am concerned, because if we can't find a partner then we won't be able to replace the police helicopter.
"I am not going to cash in police officers to replace it. I need to find the cash equivalent to maintain the level of service."
He added: "We are very concerned about this helicopter issue.
"I would very much like to have the helicopter, but if there was a choice between having police officers or a helicopter, then I would have police officers."
Wiltshire Police pays the running costs of the helicopter, which is £1.5m a year, while the Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal - funded entirely by donations from the public - needs to raise £350,000 a year.
GWAS has been reviewing the future of Wiltshire Air Ambulance for the past 16 months. It is examining whether a shared police and ambulance helicopter is appropriate in Wiltshire or whether an air ambulance with a doctor and paramedics on board would be better. GWAS has been unable to say when a decision would be made.
Last week, a GWAS spokeswoman said: "We have routine meetings with all our partner organisations. The meeting held on April 24 was one such meeting with Wiltshire Police.
"We are in ongoing discussions about the future options for providing air ambulance cover for the people of Wiltshire. No decisions have been made.
"The Wiltshire Air Ambulance trustees (which is the board of GWAS) remain committed to providing air ambulance cover for the people of Wiltshire.
"Wiltshire Air Ambulance Appeal is a restricted fund within the Great Western Ambulance Service charity so none of these funds are being used by Great Western Ambulance Service charity.
"The Wiltshire Air Ambulance fund can only be used to provide air cover in Wiltshire."
Wiltshire's chief constable insisted that a helicopter was vital to the force's operations such as helping in searches, assisting in high-speed police chases, and also in surveillance.
"The helicopter makes high risk operations much safer," added Mr Moore.
"They are brilliant for surveillance when you are covering vast tracts of land. A police helicopter is a highly desirable thing to have and I will be very sorry if we are unable to replace it."
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