As officers go through training to operate Peoria’s first public safety helicopter, a second $3.8 million helicopter is proposed for the fiscal year 2026 budget that council is expected to consider in the next month.
The proposed budget also includes about $230,000 for two new positions to be assigned to the air unit, as well as about $1 million planned for training and maintenance costs.
City officials say adding a second helicopter to the air unit will increase mission capabilities, increase overall longevity of the air fleet and reduce downtime during maintenance of a single aircraft.
