Shawnee County District Attorney Robert Hecht on Friday issued the city a deadline.. either the City of Topeka needs to make arguments for the police helicopter deal, or face legal action. Hecht is giving the city until February 20th to answer his contention that the city deal to buy a new helicopter, over a mayoral veto, is illegal.

Hecht wrote a letter to City Manager Norton Bonaparte, officials of Municipal Services Group based in Colorado, and Shreib Air of Augusta, Kansas. Hecht told Bonaparte unless the City submits legal arguments to disprove his opinion, he will assume the deal for the helicopter is going through.

If that happens, Hecht says, his office "will fulfill its obligations and responsibilities to the law" and take action to block the deal.