Ohio buys a $4.1 million helicopter

COLUMBUS

State lawmakers have signed off on a request from the Ohio Department of Public Safety and State Highway Patrol for more than $4.1 million to purchase a helicopter for use in law enforcement activities.

The Controlling Board approved the funding Monday.

The 2014 AS350 helicopter is coming from Airbus Helicopters Inc. in Texas and will be “fully equipped” with “search light, moving map and police radios” and other “equipment unique to law enforcement operations,” according to documents.

The patrol already has two copters that it uses, though maintenance and other issues have often meant only one is ready for use at any given time. According to documents, “Two helicopters for statewide emergency public safety response cannot support these large demands.”

The patrol has used AS350 helicopters for more than 20 years. Documents note that the aircraft have “proven to be the best rotor-wing platform suited for the mission of the division.”

All of the copters will be based in Columbus, though they “can be anywhere in the state from their hanger in Columbus in just over an hour,” according to Lt. Craig Cvetan, spokesman for the highway patrol.

He added that the patrol’s aviation section flew more than 500 mission last year in support of public safety and 129-plus so far this year.

Monday’s Controlling Board approval came after questions about the reasons for selecting Airbus for the purchase rather than seeking proposals from other companies.