Peoria set to establish new aviation unit for first responders
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The city of Peoria is taking the first steps toward establishing an aviation unit for its first responders.
The idea for the Peoria Police & Fire Aviation Unit came after Peoria Mayor Jason Beck secured $3.5 million in funding for a helicopter.
From there, discussions of a combined aviation unit for police and fire turned into plans for implementing air patrol and search and recovery.
The aviation unit will be the third in the Valley, and the first in the West Valley. Travis Cutright, the deputy city manager of Peoria, says it could be a regional asset.
“If we do an intergovernmental agreement, they would be able to contract with us at a lower cost," Cutright said.
He says that for neighboring cities like Glendale, which host large entertainment events, an intergovernmental agreement will be cheaper than hiring a private entity.
