Certain Police forces maintain a cadre of officers trained for counter terrorism operations, These are designated as Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers (CTSFO). I’m currently serving in the British army and I was wondering how to go about joining up to become ctsfo. The vast majority of police officers in the UK are unarmed. Armed police officers are volunteers who do a dangerous and stressful job. SCO19 contains ARV, CTSFO, and TST units – all of which will be discussed below. I’m thinking of staying in army for two more years and am looking at options I could line up. PSU units spend considerable time training with other specialist police teams as well as certain military units. If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. Each UK constabulary / force has some form of firearms team. ARV units are responsible for getting an armed response to a crime scene or incident as quickly and safely as possible. Your email address will not be published. two Rifle Teams firing at the same time. a pre-planned operation. Photo - a member of a West Midlands Police armed response team dressed in the sort of tactical gear common to such units. In the cases where an armed police officer does fire a weapon, this might not necessarily result in death. All in stock with next day delivery available. Police officers in units such as the Met's flying squad, for example, typically only carry a pistol. Forces that do not maintain a full-time PSU section will have PSU trained officers in other roles (such as standard response roles) who can be called upon by a rota system. Aside from a primary and secondary weapon, a taser and pepper spray may be carried. The SFO role requires a higher level of training than ARV Officers receive. Hi Walther P99- carried by Nottinghamshire Police AFOs. The two main firearms used by SCO19 are the Heckler & Koch MP5 Carbine and the G36 Carbine. Answering Interview Questions With No Experience: Pro Tips! From a geographical perspective, CTSFO teams operate nationally as well as in London. Designation, organisation and equipment used by firearms units varies as each constabulary has its own budget, set by its Police Commissioner. They are deployed in teams which overlook the site of an operation, providing marksman support if necessary. [2]. To join the unit officers must be able to pass a rigorous selection procedure to achieve their high level tactical Dynamic Search qualification. Learn how your comment data is processed. As the name suggests, CTSFOs specialise in counter-terror operations. Training exercises undertaken encompass a variety of public order scenarios; officers will undergo extensive riot training including being petrol bombed in large scale engagements, prison clearance tactics, football stadium scenarios, night club scenarios, aircraft, rail and various 'angry-man' scenarios, as well as additional specialist training including use of stun grenades and distraction devices. [4] The grades are dependent on the training that the officer has received.[5]. Bear in mind that armed police officers do not want to shoot or kill people – they are volunteers who accept the huge responsibility of being able to end or protect lives. These officers are then represented legally, just in case Independent Police Complaints Commission deems that the shooting was unlawful. The armed police unit for the Metropolitan Police is SCO19. While armed police officers get called to crime scenes quite frequently, they only have to discharge weapons on rare occasions. So far, we’ve looked at responsive and proactive patrol arms of ARV. These teams are required to undertake more extensive training than other armed police UK units, since they need to be ready to respond to a wider range of incidents. Kit carried includes handcuffs, first aid kit, secure radio, ammo pouches (main gun and pistol), stun grenades, CS tear gas grenades. Headwear is typically a kevlar helmet such as a MICH 2000 over a NOMEX balaclava, headset/ear defenders linked to a secure radio, and eye protection in the form of goggles. Carrier drivers must undergo specialist driver training in 'riot conditions' before qualifying as a carrier driver. AFO is the basic designation for a British police officer who has been trained in the use of firearms and has been authorised to carry them on duty. The ‘SCO’ part of the title stands for “Specialist Crime and Operations”, indicating that the SCO19 is reserved for cases where an armed response is absolutely necessary. ARV units drive BMWs – such as the 530d and the BMW X5 – which are fitted with high-tech GPS equipment so that they can find the best route to an incident. SROs are equipped with G3K semi-automatic rifles. Comparable units in the United States are local SWAT teams, trained to deal with situations beyond normal police work. Required fields are marked *. While gun crime in the UK is lower than a lot of other countries, there’s still enough of it to warrant armed police units. This is why we have armed police UK forces. They are trained to be able to make a precise shot, through glass barriers if necessary, This capability includes a simultaneous coordinated shot i.e. Sig Sauer P226- 9mm used by Northamptonsh… In West Yorkshire Police, 24 specials have received Level 2 PSU - Police Support Unit training, and have become part of the 'Operation Target' team. Sig Pro 250 - 9mm pistol used by Essex Police. Check out our expert guide how to become a police officer. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This is the main armed police unit in London, with over 500 members. For similar reasons, the UK needs an armed police force. Clothing includes overalls - usually manufactured from a fire-retardant material such as NOMEX, boots and gloves. SROs do not work on their own. By continuing to use this site you consent to our use of cookies. With the constant threat of terrorist attacks from home and abroad, a dedicated counter-terror team is necessary. Now that we’ve discussed why the UK police force requires armed units, let’s take a look at these forces. Tools for making dynamic entry such as crowbars and sledgehammers may be carried. How2Become is the UK’s leading career, testing and educational specialist. Most police forces maintain full-time PSU sections whose role is to provide a wide range of specialist services in addition to high visibility core policing. ASUs are in command of 3 EC-145 helicopters, and can be used for fast-rope operations, allowing SCO19 to respond quickly. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. They typically carry out mobile patrols in vehicles such as the BMW X5, poised to deploy to an incident as needed. People would all get along, respect each other’s property, rights, beliefs, and bodies, and there would be no need for police. Unfortunately, we don’t live in paradise, and a police force is vital for keeping people safe and the country secure. The Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group also maintains a fleet of armoured Ford F450 based Jankel Guardians[1] for use in serious public order situations, like the 2011 England riots. SCO19 contains ARV, CTSFO, and TST units – all of which will be discussed below. If you’re interested in becoming an armed police UK officer, you’ll first need to join the police force. Glock 17- This 9mm pistol, now also the standard UK military sidearm, is the most commonly-field police handgun 2. A North Yorkshire Police Volvo V70 Armed Response Vehicle (ARV). Some PSU teams are also dual-trained as first-line responders for CBRN incidents and carry relevant detection kit as well as major incident equipment. These units allow for SCO19 to respond to incidents in places where tyres and feet can’t get to as easily. I don’t know how to become a Armed Response Unit coming from the Army because I’m a rapid response sergeant . Some AFOs may only be given a basic level of firearms training, i.e. Standard kit for PSU officers consists of a transparent acrylic riot shield, a baton, a visored 'NATO' helmet, shin and elbow guards, along with fireproof coveralls when required. [2] These are identical to, and interchangeable with, the Guardians used by SCO18 Aviation Command and SCO19 Firearms Command. This means that even armed police officers are held accountable for their decisions, which hopefully prevents them from resorting to shooting unless absolutely necessary. Level of training varies depending on role. MPUs allow SCO19 to avoid bad traffic on the roads by taking to the river. Rather than being deployed as part of a response, snipers are brought to the scene of pre-planned operations, such as armed raids on sites where illegal firearms are suspected to be held. SCO19 also use Glock 17 handguns. One of the nation's most prominent firearms units is the London Metropolitan Police Service's SCO19. Tactical Support Teams are ARV units which usually partake in pre-planned operations. North Yorkshire Police AFOs are organised into the Firearms Support Unit (FSU). armed officers are called to the scene of an incident as it occurs / has just occurred, and authorised i.e. Men and women are both welcome to join SCO19. In a perfect world, the police force wouldn’t need to exist at all. Sometimes, armed police need to respond to incidents which take place either in water or across the other side of the Thames. TSTs partake in covert and overt operations. Rifle Officers are specially-trained AFOs who deploy as a Rifle Team (Rifle/Observer Team) in support of an authorised firearms operation. They partake in overt and covert operations, and can be called to support other police units on operations. Pistols 1. PSU officers are trained to a higher standard of operational readiness than their divisional counterparts. The New Police Online Assessment Process 2020, Parachute Regiment: How to Join, Paras Selection, Interview Questions & Training, Royal Navy Ships – A Recruitment Study Guide and Interview Questions. This level of protection allows officers to deal with a variety of violent situations, including riots, football violence and suspects armed with a variety of weapons. Home > Blog > What Are the Different Armed Police UK Units? SROs are trained marksmen. All officers will be trained to the common minimum standards as defined in the ACPO Public Order Tactical Trainers Manual. CC Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license, West Midlands Police Strategic Policing And Crime Board -, SFO Intervention tactics (Hostage rescue), SFO team medic (Enhanced First Aid Training), Shooting a Police Rifle in varying lighting and weather conditions to the national standard up to 300 meters, Approaching and working from overt and covert observation points, Support to other police operations, e.g. Police Online Assessment Process – Exercise 4/Stage 3b – BRIEFING EXERCISE Examples and Answers! ARV Officers respond to spontaneous firearms incidents. CTSFO teams consist of 1 Sergeant and 15 Constables. The most common firearms employed by British armed units are the Glock 17 9mm pistol, the Heckler and Koch (H&K) MP5SF 9mm (single fire) carbine and the H&K G36C (single fire) 5.56mm carbine. core weapons skills, mostly defensive attacks. This is the main armed police unit in London, with over 500 members. They will also have access to 'long arms', such as the H&K MP5SF and H&K G36C carbines, which are stored securely in the vehicle. Sometimes, officers will aim for parts of the body which will incapacitate or immobilise an attacker. Body armour may be worn, including a kevlar vest / plate carrier holding ballistic armour. A notable exception is the Police Service of Northern Ireland, whose Tactical Support Group officers famously use armoured Land Rovers. These are: • A driver;• A communications specialist;• A navigator. This site uses cookies. A lot of crimes can be solved and prevented without the use of weapons, and the police service does an excellent job overall.