Andy Oldham
The shooting of Chris Kaba
Yesterday (21st October 2024) saw the conclusion of the trial of a serving Metropolitan firearms officer, accused of murdering a man who...
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Andy Oldham
Sep 303 min read
Armed Policing Part 7 - Uniform and Equipment
In this last part of our Armed Policing blog (for now), I'm going to take a look at the uniform and equipment worn and used by armed...
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Andy Oldham
Sep 52 min read
Armed Policing Part 6 - CTSFOs
CTSFOs - Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officers - are the most highly trained and best equipped armed police officers in the UK....
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Andy Oldham
Aug 142 min read
Armed Policing Part 5 - ARVs
Every UK police force deploys Armed Response Vehicles (ARVs), on duty all day, every day, 365 days a year. They are the 24/7 armed...
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Andy Oldham
Aug 42 min read
Policing the riots
I've been wondering for a few days what to write about the ongoing far right unrest which is blighting many towns in the UK at the...
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Andy Oldham
Jul 302 min read
Armed Policing Part 4 - Tactics
If you've read my previous blog entries about armed policing, then you may recall that the Tactical Firearms Commander (TFC) makes the...
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Andy Oldham
Jul 82 min read
Armed Policing Part 3 - the SFC
In an earlier blog post I outlined the role of the TFC - the tactical firearms commander - who has responsibility for deciding to deploy...
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Andy Oldham
Jun 241 min read
Armed Policing Part 2 - the OFC
All firearms operations have a command structure, which is defined and explained in the College of Policing Authorised Professional...
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Andy Oldham
Jun 12 min read
Armed Policing Part 1 - the TFC
First off, full disclosure - this is the role I performed in the Metropolitan Police for 5 years! TFC stands for Tactical Firearms...
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Andy Oldham
May 83 min read
Armed Policing - Introducing a new series
Many TV and film dramas portray British armed police, and as you might expect, there's a whole spectrum of authenticity on show from the...
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Andy Oldham
May 11 min read
Hainault Heroes
Every right minded person will be shocked and appalled at the violence delivered in Hainault early yesterday morning, when an attacker...
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Andy Oldham
Apr 241 min read
Freezing in "July"!
As well as my Police Advisor work, I also spend time as a Supporting Artiste - extra - on various productions. Often I'm portraying a...
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Andy Oldham
Apr 152 min read
Inside, outside
What does the inside and outside of a police station look like? Maybe you already know?! It seems like a simple enough question, and I...
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Andy Oldham
Mar 201 min read
Police Top Tropes: #5
Armed police seem to be a real staple of even the gentlest police and crime dramas these days. And why not - armed officers are highly...
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Andy Oldham
Feb 231 min read
Quick hat chat
Police officer hats -- maybe you've never given it much thought... There are of course the obvious ones - the iconic custodian helmet...
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Andy Oldham
Nov 23, 20231 min read
Police Top Tropes: #4
I saw this quite recently on a crime drama set in contemporary times, and it really jarred. Police officers (male and female) were at the...
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Andy Oldham
Nov 8, 20231 min read
Police Top Tropes: #3
Ever watched a police drama where the police are undertaking a tense interview with a hardened criminal? You know the score - it's all...
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Andy Oldham
Oct 3, 20232 min read
What's in an epaulette?
Do you know your police ranks? What do all the stripes, pips and numbers mean? When and where are they worn? What about the colourful...
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Andy Oldham
Sep 22, 20231 min read
Police Top Tropes: #2
There's a big investigation going on. The detectives are trying to untangle a web of intrigue, as one crime piles up on top of another,...
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Andy Oldham
Sep 4, 20232 min read
Police Control Rooms
Ever wondered what goes on in a police control room? When someone calls the police needing help, it's answered by call takers in the...
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