The Detroit Police Department is receiving a 1970 Bell Oh-58 C helicopter from the U.S. Military, the same model as this helicopter used by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office in Arizona.
DETROIT — The Detroit Police Department, after nearly a decade of pursuit, has been granted a helicopter from the U.S. Military.
The 1970 Bell Helicopter is currently in Delaware awaiting minor repairs and transport in about four weeks. It comes free of charge from the Military Support to Civil Authorities, which distributes decommissioned military vehicles and equipment to law enforcement agencies.
Although the helicopter itself comes without a price, it will cost the department more than $500,000 over the next three years, $40,000 per year for insurance; about $30,000 per year in fuel costs; $60,000 per year for an aviation mechanic; and $172,000 for a rotor and engine overhaul and $20,000 to transport the chopper from Delaware, Inspector Don Johnson Jr. told the Detroit Police Commission last week.
The city currently has access to a state police helicopter kept in a Detroit Police Department hangar and employs two pilots who fly two daily operations.
Under the current agreement, the state police pay for maintenance and insurance costs; the Detroit Police Department pays for fuel and provides the hangar.
Detroit Police Sgt. Eren Stephens would not disclose whether the department plans to discontinue the current arrangement with the state police.
"This is an ongoing process," she said when asked. "No additional details are being released at this time."
Johnson said the department dissolved its Aviation Unit and sold helicopters it previously owned under the Kwame Kilpatrick administration. It's been utilizing the state police helicopter since about 2008.
"At one time we had a whole lot of vehicle pursuits that resulted in a whole lot of lawsuits," Johnson said. "Since we've had the current project that we're involved in, we've been able to significantly reduce the number of vehicle pursuits... and it's also increased the folks captured."
The Detroit Police Commission voted unanimously to support acceptance of the helicopter. It now makes its way to the Detroit City Council for final approval, where Detroit Police Commission President Jerome Warfield Sr. said the costs will be "fully vetted."
A portion of the helicopter fuel costs will be offset with an annual $18,000 grant and Barry Foster, the owner of LIJBS Towing in Detroit and president of the Detroit Authorized Towing Association, offered to donate his association's towing services to transport the helicopter to Detroit free of charge.
Once received, the department must utilize the helicopter. It may not be sold, stockpiled for future use, used as collateral for a loan, leased or exchanged.