ONLY WAY WE'LL GET COP CHOPPER IS IF WE DONATE

Abbotsford police chief Ian Mackenzie expressed some reservations at
Tuesday's police board meeting about a proposed plan to have a
helicopter on staff full-time.

Sgt. Daffydd Hermann and owner/operator Dean Russell have been
patrolling Abbotsford with Russell's helicopter on a volunteer basis
for the past year, and now they want to create a nonprofit society
that would buy a new helicopter and allow the department to run it
750 hours a year.

The pair say the only thing the department would have to provide is
training and salary for officers to use the helicopter, which would
work out to about $90,000 in 2006, $225,000 in 2007 and $430,000 in 2008.

"We think it's doable. We're very confident that we're going to be
able to provide a better police service with this extra tool, and
that's why we're here," said Hermann, who along with Russell has
spent about 100 hours patrolling Abbotsford over the past 12 months.

During that time Russell says they saved three lives during a rescue
at Widgeon Lake near Coquitlam in August, and possibly two more
during a rescue at Devil's Lake in Mission in October.

They've also discovered numerous marijuana growing operations and
helped ground officers with a couple of chases.

Mackenzie said there's no denying the helicopter's success. His
concern is about getting a steady stream of money into the
yet-to-be-created nonprofit society to fund the machine.

"We are much more effective with a helicopter, there's absolutely no
doubt about that," said Mackenzie. "It's whether or not it's
something we can afford . . . I do not support spending department
funds on this other than if we have a sustainable nonprofit society."

Hermann estimates it will cost $410,000 per year to lease, equip and
operate the Robinson R44 Clipper, and train people to use it.

Hermann seemed confident the society could raise the money, noting a
company has already offered to pay fuel costs for the first year -
about a $60,000 value.

"The money is out there. It has to be for the right cause," said
Hermann. "What I'm hearing from the community is there's a lot of
support right now from the public level and the corporate level."

Several police board members rode in the helicopter last week and
were impressed with its capabilities.

During Dorothy Dyck's ride Hermann and Russell helped ground police
arrest two suspects who had allegedly stolen a Nissan 240SX.

"Now that's customer service," said fellow board member Gerri Charles.

Police board members say they'll meet to discuss the proposal and
come up with a decision on it by Jan. 31.

Peeing incident spurs police

A man urinating by the front counter and a fight in the lobby are
among the alarming incidents that have occurred in the Abbotsford
Police Department headquarters in recent months. As a result, a glass
barrier will be put up to separate civilian staff from the public at
the main police building on Justice Way and the community police
office on Marshall Road. The decision was approved at a police board
meeting Tuesday.

"We are now convinced, given some unfortunate changes in our
community, this is something we have to do," said police chief Ian Mackenzie.

Some board members questioned the effect the barrier will have on the
public's sense of belonging in the police buildings, but Mackenzie
stressed the barrier will be as discreet as possible.

Police officials are going to be looking at barrier designs in the
coming weeks, and installation will follow.