Police Aviation News June 2011

Police Aviation News June 2011 8
ing pictures, videos, games and lots of interesting information about the aircraft and the
crew. You can find the pages at http://www.northumbria.police.uk/helicopter [Chris Clark]
UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA: On July 1, the ABLE helicopter operation run by Newport Beach and
Costa Mesa ends as a result of Costa Mesa's cost-cutting measures. Assets must be sold
and the proceeds split between the two cities. ABLE has been a joint effort between Costa
Mesa and Newport Beach since 1996.
Earlier this year when concerns were voiced in the local media the air unit received supportive
calls from the local residents reached ABLE Commander Tim Starn offering help to
save it.
As a result of pressures from the local residents talks are under way to explore the options
with other cities that have helicopters. The O.C. Sheriff's department pays half of the cost of
the ABLE hangar and mechanics. So even if Newport can save ABLE, they could lose these
contract players.
During this month the options available and being addressed include Newport Beach Police
Department running the service themselves and selling time to other agencies or selling the
assets to a third party and then leasing them back for operations.
One voice potential saviour figure is David Brooks, vice president of the Newport-Mesa Unified
School board. A retired CMPD captain and helicopter pilot with ABLE for more than 20
years, he says the dissolution of ABLE could have a negative effect on the schools in the
district - when ABLE started back in the 1970s, it resulted in lower insurance rates for the
schools – now rates could skyrocket, resulting in a serious financial impact for the school
district.
A businessman is considering buying three helicopters and equipment jointly owned by the
Newport Beach and Costa Mesa police departments and selling flight time back to the cities.
By not having to pay for the helicopter and sharing flight time with other Orange County
cities, Costa Mesa and Newport Beach would be able to continue ABLE.
The anonymous businessman, who lives in Newport Beach's costal area, would rent services
out to Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Irvine, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Fountain
Valley, among other Orange County cities.
The name of the businessman was not released. Sources at both city halls confirmed that
the deal was being discussed but it was not possible to gauge how likely it was to go
through.
Recently ABLE cost the city of Costa Mesa $852,090 annually. By cutting the program, and
four related officer positions, Costa Mesa might save $1M annually.
Over in Oakland the grounded police helicopter is being brought back to limited service with
the MD500E N510PD being allowed a budget to cover some 200 hours a year. Although it
is a significant cut from its previous allowance it is at least operations.
The "Argus One" has stayed inside its hangar at the Oakland Airport's North Field since July
2009, a casualty of police funding cuts.
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