Columbus will purchase two new Bell 505 Basic Aircraft helicopters for its fleet of five choppers for nearly $6 million.
Columbus City Council approved the purchase unanimously Monday night, arguing they've made changes so the helicopters aren't as disruptive to city neighborhoods. While other city police departments and county agencies are purchasing drones as a cheaper alternative, Columbus is moving forward with its helicopters.
The purchase comes about a year after the city sold one of its helicopters and three years after previous city council members called for reducing the fleet to three.
Columbus Division of Police Deputy Chief Robert Sagle told city council on Monday the new helicopters will help police be more efficient in reducing violence, allow safer police pursuits and recover high-risk missing persons. The city spends $2.1 million every year for maintenance, fuel and insurance on its fleet with 21 pilots on the payroll.
The city of Dublin spent less than $500,000 this year to purchase four new drones for the city. The Franklin County Sheriff's Office and other departments around the state also have drones and continue to adopt new technology as it evolves.
Sagle says the aircraft will be able to fly higher and have upgraded technology compared to what's currently in the aging fleet. He compared the aging helicopter technology to old smartphones.
"This is comparable to trying to function efficiently in 2025 using an iPhone 3. And like the iPhone 3, our equipment is no longer supported or serviceable by the manufacturers," Sagle said.
Sagle said the upgraded technology, with proper permissions from the Federal Aviation Administration, could reduce noise in the neighborhoods the aircraft may hover over during pursuits or patrol.
Council member Emmanual Remy said purchasing new helicopters isn't about expanding surveillance, but "ensuring safer, more reliable, and less disruptive operations for both officers and the residents we serve."
"By flying higher and quieter, we honor the community's concerns while still ensuring our officers have the tools they need to respond quickly in life-saving situations, whether that's a missing child, a suspect fleeing a violent crime, or flying over a fire to assess the current situation for the firefighters on the ground," Remy said.
Columbus is already gearing up for a big year financially. Mayor Andrew Ginther is campaigning for a $2 billion affordable housing bond. The mayor also just introduced his $2.9 billion proposal Monday for capital spending on things like street projects, swimming pools and police substations.
Council member Nick Bankston said during the meeting the helicopters will also be a capital purchase.
Ginther says the city is committed to keeping its helicopter fleet despite there being potentially cheaper alternatives like drones.
"We're not opposed to what you're describing with respect to drones. I think it'd be pretty tough to beat our officers in the helicopter unit for what they do now, but we'll always leave the door open," Ginther said.
When asked if the city keeps its fleet because it feels a commitment to keeping those 21 helicopter pilots, Ginther said he thinks the fleet works really well.
"It saves lives. It helps protect our officers. It helps get people in custody who are a threat to children and families because it works," Ginther said.
There have been previous attempts to reduce the fleet after complaints from city residents flooded in after their use during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. At one point, the helicopters flew a flight path over the city, spelling out "CPD."
Council member Rob Dorans brought up how former council members Shayla Favor and Elizabeth Brown both advocated for a cap on the number of police helicopters. Both have since left city council, as has their proposal.
Dorans said he thinks the agreement between the city and the police department to reform helicopter use has worked.
"The amount of complaints that I've received from residents over the last several years have been minuscule compared to, I think, how (the helicopter) unit had operated previously. And I think that is a credit to that compromise," Dorans said.
