A month after Kent and Essex police began sharing the Essex force's helicopter, the deal has already had a good impact.
The helicopter has already been used on several joint crime reduction initiatives and operations.
One of its first jobs was in Halstead, searching for burglary suspects. The helicopter managed to catch the offenders and recover the stolen property, including quad bikes they had not been looking for.
The helicopter can also capture evidence on film, and on April 3, the crew gathered photographic evidence of the cultivation of cannabis plants in Ashford.
Air support is a new service for Kent, under a collaboration agreement between the two counties.
The Boreham-based helicopter is now available to both Essex and Kent for up to 20 hours a day, seven days a week. This is a considerable increase in service for Essex residents and a new service for Kent.
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