G-MPSA is one of three Eurocopter EC145s that came into service with London’s Met Police in July 2007. Based at Lippits Hill, Essex, they replace white Twin Squirrel helicopters. The registrations of the other Eurocopters are G-MPSB and G-MPSC.
G-CHSU is a Eurocopter EC135T which is operated by Chiltern Air Support Unit.
This is a photograph of G-NEAU, one of the two police helicopters used in North East England covering the Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland forces. This Eurocopter 135 is based at Durham Tees Valley Airport. It carries a Nite-Sun searchlight, daylight and thermal imaging video camera and a stretcher.
G-PSNI is the police air support helicopter for Northern Ireland.
G-CAMB is Cambridgeshire Police’s helicopter.
Here we have a G-WPAS, the Wiltshire Police Air Support Unit. The MD Explorer helicopter is jointly operated with Wiltshire Ambulance Service as an air ambulance.
The helicopter lifts off. You can see the gyrostabilised camera mounted below the nose of the helicopter and the night-sun spotlight mounted at the end of the port skid.
G-WPAS is not equipped with a tail rotor. Instead, hot air is ducted out of the rear of the boom providing stability. This makes the aircraft quieter to operate and easier to control when landing in confined places. It also makes it safer for persons moving around the exterior of the aircraft when its engines are running.
G-WCAO is the air support unit of Western Counties Air Operations Unit. This Eurocopter EC 135 T1 was built in 2001.
The same aircraft in flight.
This is the West Yorkshire Police Air Support Unit, a MD902 Explorer. Its police callsign is Xray-99 and the CAA callsign is G-YPOL. West Yorks got a Messerchmitt Bolkow Blohm B0105 DBS4, registration G-WYPA, in December 1989 and this helicopter replaced it in February 2001.
The Explorer was built in Phoenix, Arizona by MD Helicopters Inc. and cost in the region of £3.2m. Equipment carried includes loudhailer, cameras, video equipment, night vision cameras, stabilised binoculars, searchlight, and tracker unit for stolen vehicles.
The helicopter is able to reach anywhere in West Yorkshire within 12 minutes. It has a maximum range of 238 miles, and a top speed of 143 mph. The Explorer has no tail rotor, making the helicopter much quieter and safer on the ground.
Above is the first type of police helicopter to be used in the North East of England: a Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo 105DBS/4. (G-PASD)
This helicopter is the Aerospatiale AS 355F-1 Twin Squirrel. (G-PASF)
This is the front shot of G-PASF, a helicopter once shared by Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland police forces.
This is the Eurocopter EC135T (G-NESV), based at Newcastle Airport.
The side view.
The cockpit.
Below is G-NESU, the North East Spotter Unit. This is a Britten-Norman BN-2B-20 Islander.
The North East police helicopter (G-NESV) with the Great North Air Ambulance (G-NAAS) in the background and a Durham Honda motorbike in the foreground.
The North East police helicopter (G-NESV) with one of its pilots.
Here is a picture of the the Eurocopter EC135T (G-NESV) as it takes off.
LG08 KCN This is a VW Transporter in silver that is used by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham’s Parks Constabulary. It has police-style blue and white checkers down the sides and is fitted with an amber light bar on the roof.
LG08 KAO is a VW Caddy that is sitting alongside the above VW Transporter. The Caddy carries the same Hammersmith and Fulham livery with the exception of the checker band down the sides.
EJ08 KKV This Wandsworth Parks Police dog unit is a Ford Transit Connect that has been specially adapted to carry dogs in the rear.
The rear and side views of the same van.
LC08 KTX This parks police Ford C-Max is driving down a narrow path amongst trees as part of its patrol.
EJ08 KME is a Ford Transit Connect used by Wandsworth Parks Police in London. This van is not fitted with any emergency warning equipment and is used by support officers on non-urgent duties.
The rear view of the Transit Connect. The rear portion of the van can be used for carrying large number of road cones or even a dog.
LG08 YTJ New in the summer of 2008 is this Ford C-Max for Wandsworth Parks Police. It is decked out with a single band of battenburg and clear ‘parks police’ wording.
The rear view of the C-max, showing its high visibility markings.
EF04 TNE This Ford Transit Connect is used by Haringey Parks Constabulary in North London. It is used to carry police dogs.
The rear view of the Ford.
EU53 NEN is a Ford Focus estate also used by Haringey Parks Constabulary to carry police dogs. This vehicle also carries the crest and badge of the Metropolitan Police on its rear windows.
NFM 115E to NFM 118E are shown in this photo of Liverpool Parks Constabulary Morris Mini Vans from 1967. The force was formed in 1860 and terminated in 1972.
This is a 2003 Nissan Terrano used by Hampstead Heath Constabulary to patrol the heath.
This Ford Transit Connect TDCI is used by Hamsptead Heath Constabulary to carry officers and dogs. Note the floodlight on the roof of the vehicle.
The rear view of the van showing its high visibility marking and police dogs warning.
This Vauxhall is run by Hammersmith and Fulham Parks Constabulary. It has non-police looking red and white checker markings and an amber light bar on the roof. Small writing tells you that they are working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police.
LX55 FFV This silver Vauxhall Zafira DTI is operated by the Metropolitan Police’s Royal Parks OCU. With the abolition of the Royal Parks Constabulary, the Met have taken over this role. The Vauxhall carries the same livery as regular Met cars, but with the addition of a roof-mounted flood light.
The rear view of two of the Zafiras in the Royal Park’s fleet. The Royal Parks Constabulary was abolished as part of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
YN54 DLU This Mercedes Vito was new to Wandsworth Parks Police in January 2006. Prior to this it was a police demonstrator with Mercedes. It proved successful in increasing police orders of the vehicle, and so was sold off when it was one year old.
The side view of the same Vito, showing its smart single waistband of battenburg marks. All the ‘parks police’ signs are magnetic until it gets its permanent livery.
The rear view of the van showing the prisoner cage.
The same Mercedes Vito at night.
KE53 JDX This silver Nissan X-trail is the only vehicle run by Kensington and Chelsea Parks Police. It is fitted with a full-width roof light bar and additional blue flashing lights behind the front grille and on the front wings. Up the sides are a single tall band of battenburg markings.
The rear view of the same Nissan. The car is equipped with a video surveillance camera to the front and an LPG conversion. It is used to drive around and between parks in the London borough.
W831 JHW This Vauxhall Astra estate is a dog patrol vehicle with the Royal Parks Police. Notice the illuminable ‘police’ sign on the front bumper.
V457 ROR This Ford Transit is used by Wandsworth Parks Police to patrol the parks and streets in the London borough of Wandsworth.
The rear view of the LPG-powered Transit, shown here with blue lights flashing.