Winnipeg police rely on borrowed RCMP infrared camera for Air1 helicopter
Bartley Kives | CBC News | Posted: September 9, 2016 5:14 PM | Last Updated: September 9, 2016
Police service is waiting for its own replacement thermal imaging system to arrive
The RCMP have lent the Winnipeg Police Service an infrared camera to use on its helicopter while a new thermal imaging system is on order.
Air1, the city's police helicopter, was close to being grounded last week due to technical issues, acting chief Art Stannard told reporters at city hall following a Winnipeg Police Board meeting.
The helicopter will stay in the air with the the help of an Alberta RCMP loaner, he said. It was installed two days ago, said Patrol Sgt. Rob Duttchen.
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The police's own infrared camera stopped working in July, Duttchen said. All flights since then have been training missions, he said.
The police did not disclose the camera wasn't working because they didn't want to endanger officers on the ground, he added.
The police plan to tender and purchase a $560,000 new camera. The province is covering $180,000 of the cost.
The province has not yet started a review of the police helicopter's operations. Stannard said that review must be conducted before any decision is made about the future of the city's flight operations.
"I'm pretty adamant that a review has to be done before you do anything with Air1," Stannard said. "To get grounded forever? I think we need a review. We can't just ground it on thoughts. We need documentation."