Last two Bell 407s delivered to the Polish Police
In January 2019, the Polish Chief Police Officer, Inspector General Jaroslaw Szymczyk, signed a contract for the purchase of three Bell 407GXi patrol and oberservation helicopters.
The Lotnictwo Policja (LP, Polish Police) took delivery of the first one, serial SN-80XP/A-104 (temporary registration OK-KOM), on 6 December 2019. It was returned to the Bell company in Prague (Czechia) for the installation of the opto-electronic head and searchlight and arrived back at Warszawa/Babice on 4 September 2020.
On 5 September 2020, the second Bell 407, serial SN-81XP/A-105 (temporary registration OK-ZEM), followed almost immediately by the last one, serial SN-82XP/A-106 (temporary registration OK-JEL), on 7 September 2020. All three Bell 407s were assembled by the Bell company in Prague (Czechia).
The Polish Police operates a variety of helicopters throughout the country. The main operating airfield is Warszawa/Babice, where the Wydział Operacji Lotniczych, Zarzadu Lotnictwa Policji (Aviation Operations Department, Police Aviation Authority) is based. The other four airfields have a section (detachment) based; Kraków/Rakowice heliport with the Sokol W-3, Lódz/Lublinek with the Bell 206B, Poznan/Lawica, Szczecin/Dabie and Wroclaw/Strachowice; type of helicopter unknown. Warszawa/Babice has the following types in its inventory: Bell 206B, Bell 407GXi, Bell 412HP, Mil Mi-8, Sikorsky S-70i and the Sokol W-3.
Photos: Tomasz Swędzioł and Marek Tłoczkowski