Policing Today
The unit employs around 400 Police Officers, the vast majority being trained Firearms Officers. Along with carrying out routine policing, Aviation Security must always guard against terrorism and be ready to respond to an aircraft emergency. Human trafficking is another area policed, with close working relationships existing with the UK Border Agency. Traffic wardens and Police Community Support Officers work at both airports.
In 2005 the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair, announced that Specialist Operations units were to be re-aligned. The plans included forming three new departments within Specialist Operations to carry out specific functions:
- Protecting People, (Splitting the functions of both SO14 & SO16 and merging them with parts of SO17, SO18 and SO12)
- Protecting Places, (Splitting the functions of both SO14 & SO16 and merging them with parts of SO17 and SO18)
- Counter Terrorism Command (Merging SO12 & SO13 together)
Firearms commonly used for armed airport policing duties:
- German Heckler & Koch MP5 A3(Semi-Automatic Carbine)
- German Heckler & Koch G36C (Semi-Automatic Carbine)
- Austrian Glock 17 (Pistol)
- American X26 Taser
Armed Response Airport Vehicles patrol the entry and exit points to the main terminal buildings and the perimeter roads only. Also armed foot patrols are inside.
Read more about this topic: Aviation Security Operational Command Unit
Famous quotes containing the words policing and/or today:
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—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)
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