Maryland State Police Chopper Pilots Still In Short Supply
CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) -- A union official says Maryland State Police still lack the requisite number of helicopter pilots, restricting service hours at two of seven bases.
Helicopter pilot Rick Bartlett is the union's local president. He tells the Cumberland Times-News the force has only filled one of the 14 vacancies in the MSP Aviation Unit since summer.
He says a second new hire resigned after less than a month on the job.
According to Bartlett, that means the Cumberland and Easton helicopter bases are shut down most nights from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley says the Cumberland base didn't miss any medevac calls during the 19 days it's been shut down overnight in October.
The helicopter based at Cumberland is also used for law enforcement response and search missions.
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