Authorised Firearms Officer - Metropolitan Police

Metropolitan Police

Within the London Metropolitan Police, there are a number of Operational Command Units (OCUs) that employ AFOs.

• The Belmarsh Firearms Team protects Trials at Woolwich Crown Court
• The Territorial Support Group has a small pool of AFOs for certain security tasks.
• The Specialist Crime Directorate arms certain surveillance officers.
• Some detectives in the Flying Squad are armed.
• Special Branch deploys armed officers in its surveillance units, and in A Squad, which protects the Prime Minister and other dignitaries.
• Royalty Protection Department, which protects members of the Royal Family and guards royal property.
• Special Escort Group, which escorts and protects high-risk convoys and VIPs such as the Prime Minister and the Queen.
• Diplomatic Protection Group, which guards embassies and government buildings. It also provides the armed guards at Parliament to supplement the Palace of Westminster Division, which is unarmed.
• Aviation Security, which protects Heathrow and London City airports.
• Specialist Firearms Command (CO19), which provides armed support to the rest of the service, crewing Armed Response Vehicles and providing Specialist Firearms Officers (SFOs)