Chicago police receive three new Bell helicopters
Manufacturer Bell Textron has delivered three new helicopters in law enforcement configuration to the Chicago Police Department (CPD)
The deliveries include two Bell 407GXis and one Bell 429. The new rotorcraft will be used by the Department’s Helicopter Operations Unit to conduct public safety missions, such as aerial patrol and police unit transportation.
They will also be used as “aerial command-and-control centers”, offering tactical and technological support to ground-based first responders.
CPD will also send its pilots to receive training to fly both new helicopter types at the Bell Training Academy in Fort Worth, Texas.
“The acquisition of these helicopters is instrumental in our efforts to modernize our fleet so we can better serve the residents of Chicago,” said Superintendent Larry Snelling, CPD. “These new helicopters will give us a stronger aerial advantage in our efforts to strengthen public safety in every neighborhood.”
The LifeStar Chicago air ambulance service celebrated 35 years of operations last year.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at AirMed&Rescue. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.