Chicago Police Department adding new helicopter before Democratic National Convention
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Police Department will add a new helicopter to its fleet ahead of the Democratic National Convention after agreeing to an $11 million contract with Bell Textron.
Using federal grant money for security at the DNC, the Chicago Police Department will buy a Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter that will be delivered before the convention.
The contract comes on top of a $12 million deal with Bell to buy two single-engine Bell 407 helicopters by the end of the year. That contract was funded using an Urban Area Security Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and includes training for the pilots.
The city first revealed plans to buy the two new Bell 407 helicopters during City Council budget hearings last fall.
The deals will double the city's current fleet of helicopters from three to six.
Helicopters are considered a significant resource and tool to assist officers on the ground, but Police Supt. Larry Snelling told City Council members at the CPD budget hearing in October that the city doesn't have enough.
Chicago's existing helicopter fleet is often deployed high above crime scenes or to chase carjacking suspects, at least when the aging aircraft are not down due to maintenance, which is often, Snelling said.
Even with six helicopters in the fleet by the end of the year, CPD will have far fewer than other major cities. Houston has 13 aircraft, Phoenix has 10, and Los Angeles has the largest fleet with 17.