Special Escort Group (Metropolitan Police) - Role

Role

The unit's purpose is to provide armed motorcycle escorts for members of the Royal family, protected members of the Government, visiting royals, heads of state and other visiting dignitaries. It also provides armed vehicle escorts for valuable, hazardous and protected loads and high risk prisoners.

This specialist unit of the Metropolitan Police consists of officers with a range of skills and operational experience from various policing backgrounds. One motorcyclist (lead bike) positions himself in front of the escort, controlling the pace and position of the escort, whilst the others forge ahead, dealing with traffic situations and advising the lead bike of the safest path through the traffic they are controlling. SEG officers on Honda VFR1200 motorcycles use whistles in preference to sirens (which are not fitted). This reduces the level of noise that precedes an escort and reduces the environmental impact on the escorted person and general public.

Officers from The Special Escort Group are among the few police motorcyclists within the UK that carry firearms openly whilst riding. All SEG officers are Advanced Drivers, Advanced Motorcyclists and are fully trained in anti-hijack driving and firearms tactics. This places them amongst the most highly skilled officers in the Met. The SEG uses a wide range of other vehicles aside from motorcycles, including Range Rovers, and BMW 5 Series, both marked and unmarked.

The motorcycle officers of the SEG carry Austrian Glock 17s, if authorisation is gained all are qualified in the use of the German Heckler & Koch MP5 and since May 2012 the Heckler & Koch G36 making each member an Authorised Firearms Officer.

The Head of the Special Escort Group used to be Chief Inspector Vincent Hoar, MVO.

Metropolitan Police Service
Specialist Crime and Operations Directorate
  • Emergency Preparedness OCU
  • Public Order OCU
  • Specialist Firearms Command
  • Traffic OCU
  • Traffic Criminal Justice Unit
  • Territorial Support Group
  • Covert policing
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  • Operations Trident and Trafalgar
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Operational Support Unit
  • Air Support Unit
  • Dog Support Unit
  • Marine Policing Unit
  • Mounted Branch
Specialist Operations Directorate
  • Counter Terrorism Command
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    • Diplomatic Protection Group
    • Special Escort Group
  • Protective Security Command
    • Aviation Security OCU
    • Palace of Westminster Division
Territorial Policing Directorate
  • Central Communications Command
  • Royal Parks Operational Command Unit
  • Safer Transport Command
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  • Safer Neighbourhood Team
  • History
  • Commissioner
  • Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime
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  • Metropolitan Police District
  • Metropolitan Police F.C.
  • Metropolitan Special Constabulary
  • New Scotland Yard
  • Organisation and structure
  • The Job


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