Flint Police Department Will Be Getting A Police Helicopter
The Flint Police Department are officially taking to the skies after Flint City Council approved the lease of a helicopter.
For the first time in recent memory, Flint City Council actually unanimously agreed on something. The council voted 7-0 to approve the lease of a helicopter for Flint Police. Actually two of the council members were absent from the vote, so I guess they didn't all agree . . . but we'll take what we can get. The department pushed hard to get the helicopter to help fight the rise in criminal activity in the city.
So how much does it cost to lease a helicopter?
Having never been in the market for a helicopter, I really had no idea how much it would be to lease one. I mean, do you get a lease pull ahead program, and what happens if you go over your miles?
Turns out that it's a bit different from a typical lease on a car. The price tag for a three month lease on the police helicopter is around $300,000. That money will cover the cost of the helicopter and pilot for three months. According to MidMichiganNow the money comes from fees collected from impounded vehicles, towed cars, and other violations.
Why does the Flint Police Department need a helicopter?
I'm sure there are a lot of people asking if Flint really needs a helicopter patrolling the skies of Genesee County. We already have the Michigan State Police chopper that occasionally flies over the area, so why worry about having our own?
The problem is that Flint is in a rough place right now when it comes to crime in the city. There have been 39 homicides this year in Flint, which is a 30% increase from a year ago. Police on the ground are hoping that the addition of a helicopter will help keep officers safe, and maybe even act as a deterrent before some crimes even happen.
Now that a few of the big questions are answered, there's only one question left . . . who will be the first officer to utter this line?
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