In the face of massive budget cuts and officer layoffs, San Jose police have mothballed the use of a helicopter they have flown for years to find fleeing criminals and missing people.

The San Jose Police Department says it will suspend its flights for at least three months to evaluate cost savings and public safety impact. The chopper, which routinely flies about three missions a day, costs the department about $1.4 million a year, mostly in salary and benefits for the pilots. True savings would be about $400,000 in fuel and maintenance.

The department has transferred the four designated pilots to patrol.

It was unclear if the helicopter may be permanently grounded, but that option was on the table.

"We will just have to wait and see what the impact is," said Sgt. Jason Dwyer, a department spokesman. "It's an important but costly resource."

The department still has the use of a fixed-wing airplane that it can use, as needed, for reconnaissance photos and surveillance.

The chopper shutdown is just one of the cost-saving and redeployment measures the department's is using to deal with the city's $110 million budget deficit. The 1,250-officer department is also facing unprecedented officer layoffs, which city officials have estimated could total up to 350.

But San Jose's grounding does not mean that law enforcement copters will grow rusty in their hangars at Moffett Field.

The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office says that it will continue its missions with its helicopter, called Star1, at least three times a week.

The Sheriff's Office contracts a pilot for its flights instead of using officer pilots. That makes its helicopter missions cheaper, about $329,000 a year, much of which is supported through asset-seizure money.

"We see this as an important asset to the county for such operations as search and rescue missions in addition to basic patrol support," said Sgt. Rick Sung, a sheriff's spokesman. San Jose is still expected to use its copter, Air2, for emergencies and major events such as Mardi Gras and Cinco de Mayo.

The helicopter has a successful crime-fighting history that is marred by one of the department's worst tragedies.

San Jose police pilot Desmond Casey was killed on Oct. 25, 1999, while flying Air1.

Casey piloted the crippled chopper away from motorists and pedestrians on the busy Alameda before it crashed into the street. Herman Yee, a mechanic on board, was also killed.

The registration number of the Air2 helicopter was chosen in order to memorialize Casey: 408DC is painted in large white and silver lettering across the top of the helicopter with 408 in reference to the telephone area code for San Jose. The DC portrays Casey's initials.