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Introduction to the Force Firearms Unit (SO19) SO19 is the name given to the department which provides firearms-related support to the rest of the Metropolitan Police Service. It consists of a small group of officers who are highly trained and motivated in dealing with most aspects of the criminal use of firearms. It exists so that the vast majority of policing activities throughout London can be conducted in the traditional manner by unarmed officers. This is one department within the‘Specialist Operations’ branch of New Scotland Yard which is headed by an Assistant Commissioner. The Officer in command of SO19 is Chief Superintendent Paul Robinson. SO19 is divided into a number of subsections dealing with different aspects of firearms work. These include Operational: For example the crews for Armed Response Vehicles, teams of Specialist Firearms Officers who deal with pre-planned firearms operations and the Rifle Section, which provides a counter-sniper capability. Training: The unit provides courses and refresher training for all firearms officers and mor ethan 2,000 officers attend training courses every eight weeks. Policy: Undertakes research and projects on behalf of the Assisitant Commissioner Specialist Operations and the Met's Firearms Policy Forum. Licensing: Firearms enquiries teams, which handle firearms and shotgun licensing, are now part of SO19 History Society has, over recent years, been debating the issues around fully arming the police in response to increasing armed crime, some of which have include several high profile incidents. These debates intensified after the massacre in Hungerford by Michael Ryan in 1986 and more recently, the killing of PC Pat Dunne in Clapham, South London in 1993. Actually, this issue has been debated for over a hundred years. In fact the Metropolitan Police back in 1884, after the murders of two constables, were given permission from the Commissioner of the day, to carry revolvers during uniformed night time patrols. These were called ‘Comforters’ and each Officer would make up their own mind if they wished to carry them. This was the nearest we have ever been to a fully armed service and that was over a hundred years ago. This remained the case until 1936 when the revolvers were taken off the constables and kept locked in a cupboard back at the station. If they had ‘good reason’ for having a revolver they would have to get permission from their Station Sergeant. We then entered the ‘so called’ golden era of Policing with the character ‘Dixon of Dock Green’ after the 1950’s film, ‘The Blue Lamp’. People often refer to this as the good old days of the British Police service. This image never actually existed, but can you remember what happened to PC George Dixon? No, he didn’t retire happily. He uttered the words, "Now don’t be silly son, give me the gun". Then he was shot dead. The Beginning The Firearms Department as we know it today started back in December 1966 as the direct result of the murders of three plain clothes officers when they were gunned down as they challenged a gang of armed robbers. In the beginning the department was solely responsible for training officers in the use of police firearms and safe tactics. Since then the department has evolved and today is responsible for most operational deployments within the Metropolitan Police Area. SO19: Armed Response The Metropolitan Police Service first introduced 'Armed Response Vehicles' to the streets of London in 1991. These vehicles are crewed by uniformed officers who have been selected and trained to stabilise and control armed incidents, stop and search suspects, their vehicles and to search premises for armed suspects. These officers are the first ‘Armed officers’ to arrive on the scene and in serious cases can call for the support of specialist firearms teams. Each Armed Response Vehicle (ARV) is crewed by three officers in police uniform who patrol specific areas of London to ensure the fastest response. Each member of the crew have specific functions whilst responding to calls. The ‘driver’ is responsible for getting the crew to the scene in the fastest, safest way possible having regard to the public presence on the roads. The ‘operator’ is responsible for the many in-car communications and extracting the maximum amount of information prior to their arrival. The ‘observer’ in the rear of the vehicle has a London map book and provides the driver with a suitable route. When the officers first arrive they will make an immediate assessment. If an armed containment is deemed necessary to isolate an armed suspect from the public, then two of the crew will deploy leaving one to control the incident, calling for further armed support and liaising with the local senior police officer. All these officers are personally armed with ‘Glock’ 17 self loading pistols and two of the officers have access to ‘Heckler and Koch’ MP5 carbines as shown here. Supervising officers from the firearms department also patrol in marked police vehicles and attend incidents as they develop. They take charge of the armed officers present and give the local senior officer tactical advice on how to resolve these incidents in the safest possible way. They carry additional equipment which may have to be used particularly if force is needed to gain entry to premises. The work load of these ARV’s has increased dramatically since their inception. In their first year they were actively deployed on 132 occasions. Last year, 1999, they deployed 1,440 times. An increase of 990%. Not all calls result in an armed deployment, many calls turn out to be false or not armed related. Last year ARV’s responded to 15,901 emergency calls. ARV’s are there to protect and respect the people of London. They are on patrol 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 52 weeks of the year. SO19: Firearms Training The centre at Lippitts Hill provides training to Met Police staff in all aspects of the firearms environment relevant to today’s modern police service: Basic Firearms Courses Armed Response Vehicle Course Specialist Firearms Officers Course National Firearms Instructors Course Tactical Refreshers for all Authorised Firearms Officers Firearms Incident Command Training And other courses that fall within the remit of the Firearms Training Establishment from time to time Basic Firearms Course We aim to provide all the necessary skills, and theory, to allow an Officer to become an Authorised Firearms Officer and function in that role for whichever department that Officer may serve in.The course is of two weeks duration and includes input on the Glock 17 Self-loading Pistol and the various drills, the Law, Basic Firearms Tactics, Target Identification, and Containments. Some time will be spent in the Simulation Gallery where students react to incidents and apply the Law to those incidents, in as near to real life as we can achieve.A lot of time is spent on the ranges learning shooting skills and weapon handling. The course is structured so that an Officer, with no experience of firearms, will by the end of the course be able to complete a shooting test and be competent in the tactical use of Police firearms. ARV Training After being selected for becoming a member of the Armed Response Vehicles, the successful Officer will undertake a Basic Firearms Course, if not already an AFO, a one-week H & K MP5 Carbine course and then an intensive three- week ARV course. Having passed the course Officers are then posted to an ARV relief and attend training for three days every six weeks.The ARV course covers aspects such as team building, vehicle deployments, building containments and firearm make-safes to an advanced level. The course introduces students to the subject of searching buildings for armed suspects, building searches using specially trained SO19 dogs and Legion Patrols (anti-terrorist patrols). Having passed the course Officers are then posted to an ARV relief and attend training for three days every six weeks. Specialist Firearms Officers Course This course provides training for SO19 officers who have passed an extensive selection process to become Specialist Firearms Officers. The course builds on the skills, and experience, these officers gain during their ARV duties, to equip them with the necessary skills for such operations as hostage rescue, rapid entries where firearms are believed to be involved, plain clothes support to other departments and maritime operations.All Officers are abseil and shotgun trained prior to attending the course. The course seeks to enhance the Officers shooting skills to an advanced level. Officers must pass the National Rapid Intervention and the Specialist Firearms Officers Shoots.The course covers various methods of effecting entry to buildings, including the use of pyrotechnics, distraction devices and the use of ladders! Officers are also trained to work in a variety of clothing which will best protect them from any environment they may find themselves. This will include, chemical, biological and nuclear.