Omaha Police Department to acquire new helicopter

Omaha Nebraska

The biggest city in the US state of Nebraska has received federal funding for a new police helicopter

The city council of Omaha, Nebraska, has approved a US$3.7 million federal grant from the US Department of Justice to support the purchase of a third police helicopter.

The aircraft will bring Omaha Police Department’s (OPD’s) helicopter fleet to three units, and will feature a searchlight and infrared cameras.

The rotorcraft will increase the capacity of OPD’s aerial operations in response to growing demand – according to a report by local broadcaster KETV, helicopter flight hours by the department have increased by a third (33.8%) since 2018. This includes greater involvement in pursuits, as well as assisting other police departments.

Nebraska-based air ambulance provider LifeNet of the Heartland recently celebrated 10 years of operations from its base in North Platte.