Effectiveness of Helicopters

The recent series of helicopter promotional articles that followed the tragic helicopter crew deaths need to be balanced with an opposing view.

The police helicopter’s effectiveness at reducing crime and usefulness at saving lives is exaggerated by the police and the press. Helicopters are one of the most dangerous vehicles available, and it is only a matter of chance that innocent people on the ground have not been injured or killed by them.

And helicopters are among the most expensive vehicles available in terms of original cost, maintenance and the loss of quality of life on the ground under them.

In summary, helicopters are dangerous, expensive, police high-tech status toys that don’t impress criminals and do deteriorate our standard of living when they buzz our homes repeatedly or trail us as we jog. We don’t want them.

Ignoring the costs of the helicopter’s extra observer, the police could have at least five police cars manned by effective, professional policeman patrolling our neighborhoods for the price of a single helicopter.

It is time to speak critically about the helicopters. If we join our voices together, our arguments against these dangerous machines will be heard by the city councils and some lives can be saved and our quality of life can be improved.

Our first task is to stop any attempt to replace the damaged or destroyed helicopters.

MIKE HILFORD

Newport Beach

Hilford is chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Elimination of Police Helicopters.