Winnipeg police defend use of Air-1 helicopter for out-of-town movie shoot

The Winnipeg Police Service'shelicopter recently took to the skies for a reason that had nothing to do withcrime.

Police confirmed Friday the $3.5-million Air-1 helicopter was flown to La Salle, about 20 kilometres south of Winnipeg, in December to be used during a shoot for the upcoming film, The Parts You Lose, starring Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul.

In a release sent to media late Friday police defended the use of the helicopter for the shoot, saying the flight time for the shoot was 72 minutes, including the time it took to get from the hangar and back.

"It was never more than a few seconds from city limits," reads the release. "No incidents requiring Air-1 to divert occurred during its use."

Police say the request to use the helicopter which costs just shy of $2 million a year to keep in the air came from the city's manager of film and special events to "help meet critical resource and production timelines."

They say thecost of contracting out the helicopter were "assessed at a cost recovery basis only," andAir-1 wasn't used to carry passengers, cargo, or lift anything for the shoot.

"In the spirit of community and civic engagement the Police Service was able to assist the CAO's Office and the film industry in Manitoba, which we understand has brought more than one billion to the local economy in the past decade," police said in the release.

The the annual cost of operating Air-1 has risen from $1.2 million in 2011 to $1.9 million in 2016.

Winnipeg police said last May they would be reviewing the use of the helicopter after the province which had been covering the annual operating costs signalled it would not provide the city with annual operating increases for any specific line item, including the police helicopter.