The EC-120B Colibri, also known as a Hummingbird, takes a test flight for media on Monday. (Sean Kavanagh/CBC)

The Winnipeg Police Service finally unveiled its long-awaited helicopter on Monday.

The chopper, an EC-120B Colibri, also known as a Hummingbird, won't be patrolling from the sky just yet, however.

The pilots and crew of the WPS Flight Operations Unit will do a month or so of training before it goes into operations, said police chief Keith McCaskill.

The Winnipeg police helicopter was unveiled to media inside a hangar at Canadian Forces Base 17 Wing. (Sean Kavanagh/CBC)

"This is an exciting day for the service. Modern-day policing in a city like Winnipeg requires deployment of equipment and technology that will improve the safety of the community and police personnel," he said.

The new machine will give police a bird's-eye advantage they've never had before, he added.

We'll be able to arrive on scene a lot faster when the helicopter is in the air because you've got an eye in the sky. If you've ever flown over Winnipeg, even in a small aircraft, you can pretty well see everywhere."

In December, city council voted to spend $3.5 million to purchase the helicopter. The province has agreed to provide $1.3 million a year in operating costs as well as about $25,000 in annual inflationary costs.

Municipal and provincial officials, including Mayor Sam Katz, police chief Keith McCaskill, and Premier Greg Selinger, stand in front of the new helicopter. (Sean Kavanagh/CBC)

The province is also funding the cost of three additional officers required to staff the helicopter.

"Chief McCaskill has let council know this helicopter will be a tremendous benefit to keeping our citizens safe, and we are pleased to have made it a priority and look forward to seeing the results," said Katz.

The EC120 is a Canadian law enforcement air support favourite, currently in use by the York Regional Police Force in Ontario, the Calgary and Edmonton police services, as well as the RCMP in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, according to a news release sent out by the City of Winnipeg.

"The EC120 has a proven track record and has become a benchmark for police operations in Canada," said Guy Joannes, president and CEO of Eurocopter Canada Ltd.

"We are delighted to welcome the Winnipeg Police Service as a customer and to the prestigious and successful group of highly specialized law enforcement operators in Canada."