Uniform and Equipment
Uniforms, the issuing of firearms, type of patrol cars and other equipment varies by force. Unlike police in other developed countries, the vast majority of British police officers do not carry firearms on standard patrol; they do however carry Extendable "Asp" or fixed Monadnock PR-24 batons and CS/PAVA spray.
There are, however, exceptions. Every territorial force has a specialist Firearms Unit, which maintains Armed Response Vehicles to respond to firearms related emergency calls, while one territorial force (the Police Service of Northern Ireland) and two of the special police forces, (the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and the Ministry of Defence Police) are routinely armed.
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) firearms unit is called CO19 (formerly SO19), but every force in the United Kingdom has firearms trained officers available should the need arise. Metropolitan and City of London Police operate with three officers per Armed Response Vehicle (ARV). Each unit comprises a driver, a navigator, and an observer who gathers information about the incident and liaises with other units. Other police forces carry two Authorised Firearms Officers instead of three. Armed Police carry a combination of weapons, ranging from German Heckler & Koch MP5 carbines, Heckler & Koch MSG901 Sniper rifles, Heckler & Koch Baton Guns (which fire baton rounds) and Heckler & Koch G36Cs to a number of specialist weapons such as the Remington pump-action shotgun.
Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith recently unveiled new plans, for England and Wales, to train and arm response officers with Tasers, rather than just specialist firearms teams. Several forces underwent a trial period with Tasers issued to members of response teams, and it was subsequently unveiled across the country.
Read more about this topic: Law Enforcement In The United Kingdom
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