AIRBORNE POLICE

摘要

Today there are 31 police aviation units in England, Scotland and Wales, operating a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft on law enforcement duties for over 40 police forces. Most of these air units have a single aircraft assigned to a sole operating base, although a few have multiple aircraft and bases. The air cover is fairly comprehensive but a number of county police forces (Cumbria, Kent, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire in England, along with most of Scotland) must still either rely on the goodwill of neighbouring forces or arrange a commercial hiring - sometimes at short notice. So-called 'non-geographical' police forces, among them the British Transport Police (BTP), do not have their own aircraft. The BTP relies mainly upon the aircraft of local forces, although it has limited access to railway maintenance contractors' aircraft. In London the air cover is nominally for the Metropolitan Police, however in practical terms this also covers the City of London Police, BTP on the railways and the underground system, and Kent Constabulary.