PLAID Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards has today requested a meeting with UK Home Secretary Theresa May in order to safeguard the Dyfed Powys Police helicopter and its base at Pembrey.

Having first written to Theresa May on the morning Parliament dissolved before the election, Jonathan Edwards has written again to the Home Secretary to press the need for a review to protect the police helicopter and its base.

Noting that the Home Secretary had ordered a review into a decision to relocate a police helicopter from Durham Tees Valley airport, Jonathan Edwards has called for a similar intervention into the National Police Air Service’s decision to close Pembrey.

Dyfed Powys is the largest police force in England and Wales in geographical terms, and is responsible for policing almost half of the Welsh landmass.

Mr Edwards said: “I started this campaign before the General Election and I am determined to see it to a successful conclusion.

“It is a matter of common sense in terms of policing: there is no good argument to close the base or lose the helicopter. All the facts point to the helicopter being an essential, effective and efficient tool for our police force.

“As it stands we have a blatant example of cuts before effective policing. The alternative proposals have been proven beyond doubt to be unequal to the tasks that our Police helicopter faces.

“The Dyfed Powys Police Force, which was the first force in the UK to operate a Police helicopter, deserves to continue its work with their helicopter unit.

“I have requested a meeting with the Home Secretary so that I can put forward in the strongest possible terms the need to keep our helicopter here in Pembrey, and to protect our police services and communities.”