More News

The Montgomery County Police Department has an opportunity to stand up an air support unit at little to no cost to the residents of the county. Reading the different articles The Gazette and Examiner have published in the last few months and doing research on the topic, it would seem unwise for the Montgomery County Council to turn down the grant that will fund the unit.

The pilots are in place, the hangar belongs to the county and the largest cost — the helicopters — have been given to the county, which should not be taken lightly. The Army, in the last two years, sent many of the same type helicopters to Iraq in support of the Iraqi Air Force, so if the Department of Defense thinks that Montgomery County is good enough for them, then the offer should not be turned down as the county may not get the offer in the future.

The addition of the air unit can only enhance the quality of public safety that the police department provides the citizens. Finding lost people and bad guys is only a part of a much larger mission; remember during the sniper-homicide incident, the county had to request air assets from the National Guard that took two days to get on station. If the police could have responded to that call, maybe it could have been resolved sooner.

Protecting the assets we already have can only be compounded by the addition of the air unit to the police toolbox. Even in times of tight finances we still have to buy the things we need. Please do not let this opportunity to pass by.

Jeff Simmons, Frederick