Dyfed-Powys Police Commissioner Christopher Salmon has been accused of “spin” after it emerged the force will lose its dedicated helicopter in January.

Last week Mr Salmon revealed this would result from the force joining the National Police Air Service, though Pembrey will continue to be used by choppers as a forward operating base “for the foreseeable future”.

Instead of having its own helicopter as it does now, the force will in future have access to a national fleet of machines.

All police forces in Wales and England have been required to join the NPAS, and under the original proposals Pembrey was due to close as part of the service’s plans to operate from just 15 sites across the two countries.

The prospect that the dedicated Dyfed-Powys helicopter might be axed provoked an outcry across west and mid Wales with fears that the biggest geographical force in Wales and England would be left without proper air cover.

Now Plaid have accused Mr Salmon of implying that the Pembrey-based helicopter would be retained; saying that this was clearly contradicted by a statement from Chief Constable Simon Prince.

Mr Salmon maintains the NPAS will cut costs, provide forces with a fleet of modern helicopters and that the public would ultimately benefit from the use of police aeroplanes.

He added that the new arrangements would cost local taxpayers £890,000 a year from January – around £275,000 less than in 2014-15.

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