"Helicopters are a valuable tool for police in our normal operations, including investigations, anti-crime operations, traffic management, search and rescue, public order situations, crime reduction initiatives and tackling terrorism, " she said.

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First, the police have traditionally seen their main job as keeping public order rather than preventing or solving crime.

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So it's not new in that sense, what it is is new in its application and of course we're trying to make a great deal of how we deal with the modern problems, public services, crime, law and order, these are modern problems that worry people and what we're trying to make sure of is that they understand precisely where we stand.

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Initially the police treated the situation too much as a public order issue - rather than essentially one of crime.

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The reform attracted pledges of finance, from Britain and the Inter-American Development Bank, some of which was to be used to modernise police stations and fight crime a novelty for a force that deployed most of its money and men on public order and on fighting drugs and terrorism.

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