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 officers.
This is a huge topic, and I can only really scratch the surface. I'll be talking about contemporary policing (2020s), so before we start, a reminder that if you're working on a Film or TV production, or writing a script or book which portrays armed officers from any era, please do get in touch and I can give you some specific, expert advice based on your particular needs.
Uniform
AFOs - armed officers who carry out patrol and guard duties, usually at fixed points like embassies, nuclear installations, etc.
ARVs - officers out and about on armed response vehicles, dealing mostly with spontaneous incidents involving firearms and risk of serious harm.
The uniform of these groups is pretty similar (although it's a little different in London) so at risk of offending either group I'm going to describe them together.
The uniform for both AFOs and ARVs is black. They wear combat trousers, "wicking" tops, ballistic body armour, boots and a crash cap. And a duty belt with a drop holster for a pistol. In addition they'll have a radio and body worn video - sometimes with an additional camera to fit onto a helmet, or even on their weapon. Then when they're deployed on a firearms operation, they will in addition be putting on some or all of the following -- ballistic helmet, ear defenders, goggles or protective glasses.
AFOs / ARVs will wear identifiers on their uniform, such as collar/shoulder numbers, or other unique identifiers, on their helmet, vest or sleeves.
CTSFOs - specialisted armed officers dealing with spontaneous terrorist threats, and high risk / complex planned operations against the most dangerous people in society.
The major noticeable difference in uniform is that CTSFOs wear grey kit and they have upgraded ballistic vest and communication equipment. To preserve their anonymity, they almost always wear face coverings (snoods) when deployed in public.
Their unique identifers are different and are all designed to protect the anonymity of the officer, important given their anti-terrorist work.
See my other blog post for details about CTSFOs.
Equipment
Cars
Police forces use a variety of cars for deploying ARVs - they tend to be the larger SUVs such as BMW X3s (although these are no longer supplied by BMW), Volvo XC90s and similar big vehicles from VW. These are usually marked, but ARVs also deploy in unmarked vehicles.
CTSFOs deploy in all sorts of vehicles - these are unmarked but will have blue lights, sirens and bullhorns to encourage other traffic out of the way! These vehicles will include normal looking saloon cars and estates, to SUVs, people carriers, as well as larger vehicles for specialised operations.
Guns
Armed police use different types of weapons:
Handguns (self-loading pistols) - currently most forces use variants of the Glock
Carbines and tactical rifles - e.g. Heckler and Koch, SIG Sauer
Precision rifles fitted with telescopic sights - various manufacturers
Shotguns - used for specific jobs such as breaching doors, or deflating tyres
Less Lethal Weapons
As well as lethal barrelled weapons (guns), all armed police have access to 'less lethal' weapons which are designed to give an option to disarm or temporarily incapacitate a subject:
"Conducted energy devices" - e.g. a Taser
Attenuating Energy Projectile launchers - e.g. a baton gun
Dogs
Specially trained police dogs work alongside firearms teams, providing them with another 'less lethal' option to control, disrupt or disarm suspects. These dogs receive additional training during which they are exposed to firearms, loud bangs, etc. in order to make them more resilient in firearms situations. There are different types of police dog, some trained to be of particular use in hostage rescue situations undertaken by CTSFOs.
Could your next Film or TV production benefit from a Police Advisor? Please get in touch for a free, no obligation chat about how I might be able to help your production look and feel authentic, without holding up the story!
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