Queensland launches new police helicopter
The EC135 will provide support to Polair in the city of Townsville on a temporary basis, prior to a permanent replacement
The government of Queensland, Australia, has announced the launch of an EC135 police helicopter as part of its Polair aerial law enforcement unit.
The twin-engine rotorcraft will serve the city of Townsville on a temporary basis, while the state procures a permanent aircraft to replace it.
The EC135 features a camera system capable of taking footage in infrared, a searchlight, a moving map, and vehicle tracking.
It is expected that the aircraft will primarily be used to assist ground-based officers in tracking stolen vehicles, arresting offenders, and locating missing persons.
“This new aerial capability is a tool which will bolster these efforts, and not only help police do their jobs safely, but support them to keep Townsville safe,” said Cameron Harsley, Deputy Commissioner of the Queensland Police Service. “Already, the interim aircraft has helped locate a missing child and assisted police with arrests.”
He added: “We look forward to the progress of a dedicated Polair helicopter, to permanently support the safety of both police and North Queenslanders.”
Queensland also awarded a contract to Babcock for the provision of air medical and search and rescue (SAR) support in the Torres Strait in May 2023.
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.