The Chicago Police Department unveiled its new, $11 million helicopter Friday, its first since 2007.
It comes ahead of two more helicopters, paid for by the Department of Homeland Security, that will be delivered by the end of the year.
The Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter, which can cruise at 174 mph, was bought with some of the $75 million in federal security funding given to the city ahead of the Democratic National Convention by the Department of Justice, a police spokesperson said. The city also bought two Bell 407 single-engine helicopters that are expected to arrive before the end of the year, bringing the cost of all three to $22.8 million.
City officials have denied public records requests for a full accounting of where the DNC security money will be going, though the amended contract says the helicopters could cost the city up to $37 million.
The new chopper was given a public debut last weekend at the Chicago Air and Water Show, where it buzzed attendees at North Avenue Beach ahead of the main event and showed off some of its custom features, such as blue lights on the bottom of the helicopter.
“This aircraft marks a new era for our helicopter unit,” CPD Supt. Larry Snelling said at a Friday morning news conference in a Soldier Field parking lot. “It’s the first step in modernizing our aging helicopter fleet.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson said the police department will have a fleet of four helicopters at the end of the year, including the new ones, It was unclear which of the three helicopters currently in service — the oldest of which has been used since 1994 — would be retired.
“Helicopters don’t age as well as I do,” Johnson joked, saying he’d need help lobbying his wife to let him ride in it. “This is a testament to our commitment to investing in tools that help the police department solve crimes. … It’s a step forward in our journey to a safer Chicago.”
While the focus for the helicopter’s use has been helping with security plans for the DNC, particularly with the large crowds of protesters expected to come with the convention, Snelling and Johnson both said the craft would be helpful for police dealing with carjackings and robberies.
Johnson also said the helicopter was in line with other recent investments in the city, such as the opening of the Damen Green Line station.
“Over the last year, the city has worked with federal partners to prepare,” Johnson said. “We are ready to host the best DNC in the history of Chicago, and the best in the history of the world. … Chicago, our arms are wide open.”
Contributing: Tom Schuba