County Budget and Helicopters

Orange County Treasurer Robert L. Citron and Auditor-Controller Steven E. Lewis showed courage when they suggested the county could save $1.5 million per year by grounding the two sheriff’s helicopters.

At the beginning of this year, the sheriff and the cities of Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa, collectively had 13 police helicopters. The helicopter has become a law-enforcement status symbol. Not one of these law enforcement agencies has ever demonstrated the cost effectiveness of these vehicles, nor even that they reduce crime. Supposed justification is always based on isolated emotional examples, with never a token consideration for what alternatives existed.

For example, the sheriff cited flying a little girl to the hospital. What about the availability of other police helicopters, or military helicopters? Or could she have been taken by paramedics in an ambulance? These noisy, intrusive machines are being used a far greater proportion of their air hours in checking out loud parties and minor public nuisances than they are in saving lives.

We don’t need 13 “Big Brothers” doing routine surveillance. What we do need is two or three helicopters for the entire county, on call to respond in life-threatening situations or dire emergencies.

Regarding the county budget, social workers are needed every day. If the sheriff needs a helicopter for a drug bust once a year, he can go to the airport and rent one.

PETER and NANCY WILLCOX

Costa Mesa