Regional Cops Tout New High Tech Chopper

RICHMOND -- Top police officials from Richmond, Vallejo and Contra Costa County announced plans here Thursday to purchase a $1.2 million, jointly-shared Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, which police will use to patrol the three jurisdictions.

RICHMOND -- Top police officials from Richmond, Vallejo and Contra Costa County announced plans here Thursday to purchase a $1.2 million, jointly-shared Bell Jet Ranger helicopter, which police will use to patrol the three jurisdictions.

Contra Costa County Sheriff Warren Rupf said the helicopter will assist police in tracking criminals who travel between Richmond and Vallejo along Interstate 80. It will be the department's second helicopter and is described as quieter, faster and better suited for urban surveillance.

The two cities, separated by San Pablo Bay, are located in different counties, and despite their close proximity, are not inter-connected on the current police communication network.

Rupf said the new helicopter will provide a telecommunications link between the two jurisdictions, allowing police to correspond more easily and to? effectively patrol the I-80 corridor.

Police will most likely acquire a four-passenger Bell Jet Ranger helicopter in January, Rupf said, at a cost of $1.2 million.

"The actual cost will be covered by forfeiture and seizure monies (from criminals)," said Rupf. "In effect, the bad guys will be paying for the good guys' equipment. The ongoing operating cost will be shared between the county and the city."

Vallejo Police Chief Bob Nichelini said he estimated operating the helicopter would cost each city $150,000 during the first year.

He said police need the helicopter to bring the two departments' patrol and communications abilities up to date.

"Law enforcement has taken a long time to come around and realize that we cannot be isolated, separate organizational units," Nichelini said. "We need to have inter-operability in communications."

Rupf said officials have been brokering a deal for the past year that would establish radio communications between Solano and Contra Costa Counties. Doing so would require establishing a new communications infrastructure, which he said would cost about $32 million.

However, Rupf said opponents of the deal argue police should wait until 2006, when the Federal Communications Commission plans to reposition some media who broadcast at 700 megahertz. They want Contra Costa to wait until licenses become available, then petition for available radio space.

"There are strong arguments that we should wait and go to the 700," Rupf said. "I argue that we can't wait forever. We're working with our federal legislators, trying to convince them to get the FCC out of the way and take care of what they do best: Print some more money. Give us the money to develop."

Officials touted the acquisition of the helicopter as part of an "ongoing collaboration" between the two departments, which Richmond Police Chief Joseph Samuels said was unique because the effort crossed county lines.

"In my judgment, law enforcement works best when it works together," Samuels said. "You don't hear too many examples anywhere of agencies from different counties working in a collaborative way in the manner we've described today."