UK Police Firearms Officers

[CX20]

Here's a collection of photos of UK armed police officers that I have found on the net;

http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/United_Kingdom/Suffolk/firearms1.jpg

http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/United_Kingdom/Suffolk/firearms2.jpg

http://www.specialoperations.com/Foreign/United_Kingdom/Suffolk/firearms3.jpg

http://www.met.police.uk/so19/so19images/traini8.gif

http://www.ukaea.org.uk/reports/c-report/p18a.jpg

http://www.ukaea.org.uk/reports/c-report/page25a.jpg

http://www.polfed.org/magazine/11_2001/images/sas_wall.jpg

http://www.polfed.org/magazine/11_2001/images/sas_heli.jpg

http://www.polfed.org/magazine/11_2001/images/arms.jpg

http://www.polfed.org/magazine/11_2001/images/sas.jpg

http://www.met.police.uk/so19/images_nw/arv2.gif

http://www.met.police.uk/so19/images_nw/so19_lg_badge.gif

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38272000/jpg/_38272993_police_alls300.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1130000/images/_1134471_armedpolice150.jpg


http://www.propagandamatrix.com/100902usembassypolicemen.jpg

http://www.ukemergency.f9.co.uk/dcp01620.jpg

http://www.chinook-helicopter.com/news/farnborough.jpg

http://jeanne_and_trev.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/usembassylondon.jpg

http://home.pacbell.net/rsdotson/guns/UK/3mIllegalGuns_files/STN160801.300x204.jpg

http://www.socialistfuture.org.uk/21stcenturyart/images/New%20Labour%20armed%20police.JPG

http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/supplements/gh2001/images/june_seige.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/760000/images/_760201_scotspoliceap150.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1675000/images/_1676398_police300.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38677000/jpg/_38677613_1kidsap300.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/images/38677000/jpg/_38677603_1marksmenpa300.jpg

http://www.bbc.co.uk/lancashire/have_your_say/2002/07/15/police270.jpg

http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/images/Siege.jpg

MOD Police OSU (note SA80)

http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.burdon/OSU.jpg

http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.burdon/ms1.jpg

http://freespace.virgin.net/ian.burdon/Gun1.jpg

UK Police Issue Firearms Vests

Arktis old issue vest

http://www.arktisltd.co.uk/images/1620.jpg

Arktis Basic Issue Vest

http://www.arktisltd.co.uk/Products/1620_Firearmspolicevest.jpg

Arktis Modular System

http://www.arktisltd.co.uk/Products/1642_WakAssault.jpg

[James]

Whatever happened to the friendly Bobby with a whistle and a truncheon? :(

Serious question - I was under the impression that many Police Officers in the UK are not armed; am I mistaken? If not, what determines whether or not a police officer will be armed?

I am curious. Please advise.

[Marxist203]

Whatever happened to the friendly Bobby with a whistle and a truncheon? :(

Serious question - I was under the impression that many Police Officers in the UK are not armed; am I mistaken? If not, what determines whether or not a police officer will be armed?

I am curious. Please advise.

They've always had guns available, they just never wore them on their person. The Armed police men are like SWAT...I guess they use them in take downs and such.

[fokket]

they now have EOTechs on their stuffs..

[MolliG]

Serious question - I was under the impression that many Police Officers in the UK are not armed; am I mistaken? If not, what determines whether or not a police officer will be armed?

Regular Officers (on the beat etc) don't carry firearms, as well, they arn't trained to do so. The ARVs (Armed Responce Vehicles, usaully spotted cruising around in their big Omega (http://www.paulspolicephotos.20megsfree.com/images/herts_omega.jpg) estates and the like) are the ones who carry the firearms on a day to day basis. And then you have the SWAT-like (SO19 etc) teams which will conduct raids etc (I don't think every county/Force has a team like that).

CX20 will probably go into more detail and correct me if I've made any mistakes.

:)

[MolliG]

they now have EOTechs on their stuffs..

That depends on the Force. Again I think I'm correct in saying that Forces are allowed to choose any firearm as long as they meet Home Office rules (for ammunition etc). So one county/Force might have S&W Autos and MP5s, while the neighbouring one might have P99s and AUGs.

Also, I think, all or at least most ARV firearms are 'Semi' only.

:)

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

By and large most UK police are not armed and have not had any firearms training, the standard tools of the trade are the batton and CS spray and believe me they really are good with battons. I have seen a Scottish cop take on a machette weilding drug addict with his batton, they are also pretty good with fists and feet. They only deploy armed cops when there is a specific need for them but since 9/11 I have seen an increase in armed cops in public places, most areas have a couple of armed response cars each one with four armed cops on standby.

[Chris1]

Whatever happened to the friendly Bobby with a whistle and a truncheon? :(

Serious question - I was under the impression that many Police Officers in the UK are not armed; am I mistaken? If not, what determines whether or not a police officer will be armed?

I am curious. Please advise.
CX20 hasn't replied yet so I'll give you the short and easy version :)
Almost all aren't, these guys have been sent on courses to be qualified to carry 'em and respond to firearms incidents.
If a firearms involved, these guys are sent.
Since a the majority of crimes don't involve firearms, the majority of coppers aren't armed.
Also used to guard places like airports and train stations these days.

[Gringo]

Glocks and MP5s, my favourite. Oh yeah, who r those guys who guard 10 Downing Street? I went past there when I was down London, and caught a glimpse of a few Glock 17s, intrestingly enough I bought an Airsoft Glock 17 when I was down there. :D

[BiZ]

MP5 and shield? MP5 and shield? Mp5 and shield? .....ahhhhhhhhh say it isn't so.......

[George W. Bush]

Cops should be unarmed only if there is an armed society that can come to their aid. Why do you think they have that whistle?

Since Britain felt necessary to disarm the citizens it's laughable to know they are not armed.

[fantassin]

The good guys wear black....

[marktigger]

BacilluspolymyxaThats not strictly true there is 1 force in the UK who's officers are permanently armed the PSNI formerly the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

Issued arms
.357 magnum Ruger
9mm Glock 17 or 19 (being introduced)
9mm HK MP5
5.56mm HK33


http://www.psni.police.uk/garnerville_firearms2.jpg
http://www.psni.police.uk/garnerville_firearms4.jpg

[CX20]

MP5 and shield? MP5 and shield? Mp5 and shield? .....ahhhhhhhhh say it isn't so.......

I know...........all I can say is that my team would never employ a carbine with a shield - big no-no.

MolliG every UK force is obliged under HO guidelines to have a tactical unit to supplement their ARVs. The difference occurs in how that team is organised. Bigger forces like the Met and West Mids have a permanent, full time tactical teams. Other forces give the tactical work to other units, such as Operational Support Group, etc. Some other forces who don't possess those units make their teams a part time specialisation, like most US teams. The officers perform normal beat or CID duties, but are on call if a situation arises.

Mark you forgot the Mod Plods! Their're all AFO trained.

[marktigger]

CX20

there is also the UKAEA Police but they and Mod Plod aren't permanently armed to the same extent like all operational officers 24/7.

[marktigger]

CX20

there is also the UKAEA Police but they and Mod Plod aren't permanently armed to the same extent like all operational officers 24/7.

[Lancer]

Some familiar faces in those pictures. The fourth picture shows an SO19 team training on the old 'siege house' at Lippitts Hill. That brought back some memories.

[kit789]

Hi guys really sorry to resurrect this thread but what section of the police are wearing the berets in the first few pics?Also what firearms do the PSNI employ?just curious.

thanks
guys

[Messiah UKF]

Issued arms
.357 magnum Ruger
9mm Glock 17 or 19 (being introduced)
9mm HK MP5
5.56mm HK33


reading a little more of the thread would have answered one of those questions :)

[corbs]

In britain most officers are unarmed. Some officers are trained and only used when more armed officers are needed and extra routinely armed officers are otherwise occupied at another incidents or are too far away. In london certain bits of the metropolitan police service are armed all the time. Included in this are CO19, who constantly are armed and patrol in armed response vehicles (ARVs) (BMW 535s) and are always on call for other officers. Most more rural forces have a similar system but smaller. I had the privilege of looking around a Herts. Constabulary ARV a while ago. Other officers that are routinely armed are those that patrol the royal palaces and those that protect officials and diplomats. I hope that clarifies. If not then PM me!

[Christophe]

And a few more pics, most of them CO19:

[Douros81]

In britain most officers are unarmed. Some officers are trained and only used when more armed officers are needed and extra routinely armed officers are otherwise occupied at another incidents or are too far away. In london certain bits of the metropolitan police service are armed all the time. Included in this are CO19, who constantly are armed and patrol in armed response vehicles (ARVs) (BMW 535s) and are always on call for other officers. Most more rural forces have a similar system but smaller. I had the privilege of looking around a Herts. Constabulary ARV a while ago. Other officers that are routinely armed are those that patrol the royal palaces and those that protect officials and diplomats. I hope that clarifies. If not then PM me!


If you don't have to work in North St. Louis being unarmed my work. :roll: