Chinese police have been equipped with advanced helicopters, capable of launching air-to-ground fighting, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

 

 

Some municipalities and provinces in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Chongqing are organizing their own police helicopter fleets, said an official from the ministry.

 

Capable of quick response to emergency, the police helicopter fleets will be responsible for air patrolling, transporting, fighting terrorism, and directing the flow of traffic, said the official.

 

The importance of police helicopter is second only to military aircrafts which are often used in war fighting or being the chartered planes, said the official.

 

China now has seven police helicopter fleets, three police airports and 20 police helicopters.

 

The first police helicopter in China was put into use by police department in Wuhan, capital city of central China's Hubei Province in 1994.

 

Other cities like Guangdong, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen, Nanjing and Sanmenxia also utilize police helicopters and have organized their helicopter fleets.

 

China's first comprehensive police helicopter drill took place on Oct. 20 in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province.

 

Five police helicopter fleets, including eight helicopters from Guangdong Provincial Police department, along with the police bureaus of Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Shenzhen and Sanmenxia, joined the drill.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 28, 2006)