The police are acquiring operational capabilities that until now were only available to the IDF - and will start flying police officers for operational missions using police helicopters. "From now on, we will also surprise the criminals from the air.
The police vehicles will probably continue to be the main means of getting the police to operational events - but in the decision of the police commissioner, Rabbi Yaakov Shabtai, which is published here for the first time, they will now be joined by two twin-engine police helicopters, "Dokifat", which entered police service in 2018. Innovators with advanced technology and flight capabilities in a large number of scenarios.
The need to change the operational perception came in the wake of Operation Wall Guard and a wave of disruptions in the cities involved, during which hundreds of emergency incidents occurred at nights that required rapid and powerful arrival.
Police officers who jumped from place to place dealt with riots and shootings in real danger to their lives and civilian lives, but their mobility was perceived as slow - reinforcing the need for rapid mobilization of police forces using helicopters for extreme events, including terrorist incidents where every minute counts.
"In a reality where an incident is developing rapidly," a senior police officer told Israel Today, "the police must be prepared to act at the utmost speed, and shorten arrival times. These helicopters will be used when necessary by both police officers and our fighters in the special units."
Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, Photo: Coco
Equality-breaking array
The aerial police system is considered a "tie-breaker" operational system in every incident - from assisting ground forces in putting out fires, through chasing road offenders, to the "eyes" of field forces in arrests, using special means installed in them.
With the integration of the helicopters to fly the forces, their main use will probably be made by the YMCA fighters, who until now had to use Air Force helicopters as part of their operational activities.
"Israel Today" has learned that helicopters will also be used by police units within Israel's borders, with an emphasis on the Egyptian border, where the police operate in large areas in front of smugglers of weapons and drugs, who are equipped with SUVs.
These chases usually end in the seizure of the smuggled drugs and weapons - but without the smugglers, and another aerial chase on the smugglers and landing forces quickly will significantly increase the chances of making arrests.
The new capability requires the police to train, develop combat theories and synchronize pilots with ground forces.
In the future, the police plan to purchase larger helicopters, as the IDF has, in order to improve the firefighting capabilities of the air force and also to increase the number of police officers that can be flown with them.
"The fact that police fighters will now be able to commute by helicopter to activities around the country is a great advantage in the widespread war on terror and serious crime," the officer said. To heaven, too. "
