Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Back in April, Erie County Sheriff John Garcia pointed out a need for the Sheriff's Office to further help with emergency response efforts across the region: The acquisition of a new helicopter for the department.
Fast forward about eight months, Garcia is still hoping to acquire a new helicopter, worth a reported $10-plus million, while also keeping Air 1 as a backup option.
"When I first came into office, we assessed all the equipment. We saw that the current helicopter is 23-years-old. It's not that we want a second one. We really won't get any substantial money back for the one that we have, so we can keep that as a backup helicopter, in case there's two incidents in the county," said Garcia in an interview with WBEN.
According to Garcia, in the capital budget this year, there's $1 million for a new helicopter. He says with everything back ordered the way things are at this time, it will take some time before a new helicopter is made available for the Erie County Sheriff's Office.
"If we order it now, this year, it's going to be 2-3 years out. And it's not something that you order with having the ability to add on some of the technology and so forth that you need," Garcia said. "When you order it, obviously we have people that are very well-versed in what they need for that helicopter. We've talked to other agencies to get the best tools. If we're gonna get one and it's going to last 30 years, let's try to do it right the first time. We're about three years out."
Garcia adds he received a call from State Assemblyman Patrick Burke not too long ago, saying $1 million has been secured from the state to give to the Erie County Sheriff's Office through the County Executive's Office for a helicopter.
Air 1 has been a regional resource for the region for 23 years, and continues to remain vital across Erie County, as well along the Lake Erie and Niagara River shoreline with 90 miles of coastline to watch over. He says having a helicopter in the force is invaluable for a number of different reasons.
"When I'm trying to follow you and you're paranoid because you're a drug dealer, and you're looking out every single mirror, and we have this great tool, which is Air 1 up in the air, it's just invaluable," Garcia said. "People have talked about drones and so forth, but you're not going to save a person's life in Lake Erie, the Niagara River, in Zoar Valley, or wherever with a drone. You need a helicopter. We get one, and if we don't ever have to do that, well, that's good."
Garcia also points out the need for a helicopter like Air 1 when it comes to such events like Buffalo Bills games every football season in Orchard Park.
"We have the largest undertaking in the State of New York, security wise, with the Buffalo Bills games," he said. "I know right now we have eight games, a couple preseason games, hopefully some playoff games, but with the new stadium, there's going to be a lot more events. And with that, those events come security issues."
Back in April, Garcia said the Sheriff's Office has taken a look at every option possible towards acquiring a new helicopter, and the department was going to be fiscally prudent and responsible, which includes exploring funding from federal and state partners, as well as the potential of military surplus.
"I hope it continues going in the right way. There's $1 million in the budget allocated towards it, in the capital improvement part of it, and, God willing, we get it," Garcia said.
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While Garcia believes in the importance of having a helicopter available to the department, he also understands the value of drones for the Erie County Sheriff's Office as a fantastic tool for investigators.
"Drones come in very handy, especially when you're investigating a scene. It could be a rural area, it could be an urban setting, and putting that drone up and really getting the mapping out there in an extensive crime scene," Garcia said. "We've seen the extensive crime scene, for example, when that individual shot at a Buffalo Police Officer at the foot of Ferry ended up in C District. That's a very big area. We had our helicopter up there taking photos, which really helped out. But we also in searches and in crime investigations, accident investigations, we send up that drone, because then prosecutors later on and juries could really see what the area looks like."